Ultra-low flow rate desiccant air conditioning system device and method

Abstract

Systems and methods for adjusting airflow are described herein. In some embodiments, the system may include an absorber and a desorber. The absorber is configured to receive a supply airflow containing moisture at a first moisture concentration, expose it to a liquid desiccant to remove moisture from the supply airflow, and generate an adjusted airflow. The desorber is configured to receive a regenerated flow and at least a portion of the liquid desiccant from the absorber at a first mass flow rate and having at least one salt in a first weight percent. The desorber includes an array of emitters configured to direct a portion of the liquid desiccant into a desorber medium at a second mass flow rate to facilitate the removal of moisture from the portion of the liquid desiccant and to generate a concentrated liquid desiccant having at least one salt in a second weight percent.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 457,984, filed Apr. 7, 2023, entitled “Ultra Low Flow Desiccant Air Conditioning Systems and Methods,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and more specifically to air conditioning systems that use ultra - low flow rates of liquid desiccants to remove moisture and regulate air flow.

[0003] Background Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems provide cooling and dehumidification of building spaces during summer, and heating and humidification of such spaces during winter. These systems typically operate with any combination of fresh air and recirculated air. Buildings, especially commercial buildings, require a certain amount of ventilation of fresh outdoor air to prevent occupants from being exposed to a decrease in air quality caused by excessive CO2, volatile organic compounds, and other contaminants present in building and furniture materials. The heating, cooling, humidification, and / or dehumidification of fresh outdoor air, often referred to as ventilation air conditioning, can be a major cause of primary energy consumption in buildings. For example, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that in 2020, the electricity use (space cooling) for cooling the interiors of buildings by the residential and commercial sectors in the United States was approximately 392 billion kilowatt - hours (kWh), equal to about 10% of the total U.S. electricity consumption in 2020. As a result, there is a need to develop air conditioning systems that reduce the use of electricity and combustion fuels for building heating and cooling.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] Systems, devices, and methods for ventilating, heating, cooling, and / or regulating building spaces are described herein. In some embodiments, the system comprises a housing and a distributor component. The housing includes an internal volume and a gas inlet port. The gas inlet port is configured to receive a gas and direct the gas at a first mass flow rate across a medium floor disposed within the internal volume of the housing. The distributor component includes a conduit and an array of emitters. The conduit is connected to the housing and is configured to receive a liquid desiccant containing water and salt at a first salt concentration. The array of emitters is disposed along the conduit, and each emitter from the array of emitters is configured to distribute the liquid desiccant to the medium floor at a second mass flow rate such that the liquid desiccant (1) moistens the medium floor, transfers water between the liquid desiccant and the gas, and (2) exits the housing through an outlet port. The first mass flow rate is selected such that the liquid desiccant at the outlet port is regenerated and contains salt at a second salt concentration by weight, when the gas transfers water along with the liquid desiccant distributed at the second mass flow rate, and the second salt concentration is greater than the first salt concentration.

[0005] Other embodiments relate to a method for regenerating a liquid desiccant in a desiccant. The desiccant includes a housing defining an internal volume and a distributor component including conduits and an array of emitters disposed along the conduits. The method includes directing a gas across a medium bed disposed within the internal volume of the housing at a first mass flow rate having a predetermined temperature and humidity. The method further includes receiving a liquid desiccant in a conduit, wherein the liquid desiccant contains water and salt at a first salt concentration by weight. The method further includes distributing the liquid desiccant to the medium bed at a second mass flow rate through each emitter of the array of emitters so that the liquid desiccant moistens the medium bed and water is transferred from the liquid desiccant to the gas, and after distribution, directing the liquid desiccant out of the housing through an outlet port. The first mass flow rate is selected such that the liquid desiccant at the outlet port is regenerated and contains a second salt concentration by weight, when water is transferred to the gas along with the liquid desiccant distributed at the second mass flow rate, and the second salt concentration is greater than the first salt concentration.

[0006] In another embodiment, the method includes regenerating a liquid desiccant in a desorber. The desorber includes a media bed and a distributor component. The method includes receiving a liquid desiccant having a first salt concentration by weight in the distributor component. The method further includes distributing multiple flows of the liquid desiccant into the media bed at a mass flow rate of the liquid desiccant, and flowing a gas at a gas mass flow rate across the media bed while the liquid desiccant is being distributed, so that water is transferred from the liquid desiccant to the gas, the gas mass flow rate being at least about 20 times the liquid desiccant mass flow rate. The method further includes collecting the liquid desiccant at an outlet port of the desorber, where the liquid desiccant has a second salt concentration by weight, the second salt concentration being greater than the first salt concentration.

[0007] In some embodiments, the system may include an absorber unit and a desorber unit. The absorber unit may comprise an absorber gas inlet, an absorber inlet port, and an absorber outlet port. The absorber gas inlet may be configured to receive a supply gas flow, which contains moisture at a first moisture concentration. The absorber inlet port may be configured to receive a liquid desiccant flow and to direct the liquid desiccant flow to an absorber media bed disposed within the absorber. The absorber media bed may be configured to expose the supply gas flow to the liquid desiccant to remove moisture from the supply gas flow and generate a regulated gas flow. The absorber gas outlet port may be configured to collect the liquid desiccant after exposure to the supply flow. The desorber unit may comprise a desorber gas inlet, a distributor component, and a desorber outlet port. The desorber gas inlet may be configured to receive a regenerative flow at a first mass flow rate value. The distributor component may include a conduit fluid-connected to the absorber outlet port, the conduit configured to receive at least a portion of a liquid desiccant from the absorber, the portion of the liquid desiccant containing at least one salt in a first weight percent. The distributor component may also include an array of emitters arranged along the conduit, each emitter from the array of emitters configured to direct a portion of the liquid desiccant at a second mass flow rate to a desorber medium bed arranged in the desorber, the desorber medium bed configured to expose the portion of the liquid desiccant to a regenerating flow to remove moisture from the portion of the liquid desiccant and produce a concentrated liquid desiccant. The desorber outlet port is configured to direct the concentrated liquid desiccant to the absorber inlet port, the concentrated liquid desiccant containing at least one salt in a second weight percent.

[0008] In some embodiments, the apparatus may include a housing and a distributor component. The housing may include an internal volume and a gas inlet port. The gas inlet port may be configured to receive a regenerating gas and direct the regenerating gas at a first mass flow rate across a media bed disposed within the internal volume of the housing. The distributor component may include a conduit connected to the housing, the conduit being configured to receive a liquid desiccant containing water and salt at a first concentration by weight. The distributor component may also include an array of emitters disposed along the conduit, each emitter from the array of emitters being configured to distribute the liquid desiccant to the media bed at a second mass flow rate such that the liquid desiccant (1) moistens the media bed and transfers water to the regenerating gas, and (2) exits the housing through an outlet port, the first mass flow rate being at least about 30 times the second mass flow rate, and the liquid desiccant at the outlet port contains salt at a second concentration by weight, the second concentration being greater than the first concentration. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a flow diagram of an ultra-low flow rate liquid desiccant air conditioning system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This table shows the amount of heat transported to the process airflow represented by W (for example, heat transported to the absorber by the liquid desiccant) as a ratio of the cooling capacity to the amount of heat required to heat the regenerating airflow and regenerate the desiccant. [Figure 3] This is a schematic perspective view of a desoldering unit for regenerating liquid desiccant according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a schematic perspective view of a desoldering unit for regenerating liquid desiccant according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an emitter included in a distributor component according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an emitter included in a distributor component according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an emitter array of a distributor component according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] This graph shows the effectiveness of the medium bed as a function of the density of the emitter array, recorded for two different medium beds and two different flow rates. [Figure 9] This graph shows the carryover (parts per trillion) of liquid desiccant as a function of airflow velocity for an array of emitters with four different spacings. [Figure 10] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the detacher unit according to one embodiment, showing the trench design for housing the distributor components of the detacher unit. [Figure 11] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the detacher unit according to one embodiment, showing the trench design for housing the distributor components of the detacher unit. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Conventional HVAC systems are used for air conditioning and dehumidification in residential and / or commercial buildings. HVAC dehumidifies airflow using evaporator cooling coils that lower the temperature of the airflow and condense moisture on the fins of the cooling coils and / or other heat exchange surfaces. The airflow leaving the cooling coils is relatively cold (for example, the air leaving the cooling coils may have a temperature of about 50-55°F) and has high relative humidity (for example, 90-100% RH). Direct use of these airflows for space conditioning can result in mold formation and excessively cold building spaces. As a result, conventional systems reheat the airflow to raise the airflow temperature and reduce their relative humidity. The use of cooling coils to remove moisture from the airflow by condensation is an energy-intensive process due to the large latent heat of water. Furthermore, the use of heat exchangers to reheat the airflow creates additional energy requirements and therefore reduces and / or limits the energy efficiency of the HVAC system.

[0011] Alternative approaches to conventional HVAC systems include liquid desiccant technologies (e.g., LD technologies) that use liquid desiccants to remove water and / or moisture from the air. Due to their hygroscopic nature, liquid desiccants can absorb water from gas streams. Liquid desiccants can be exposed to gas streams containing water and / or moisture, and the water and / or moisture can be transferred into and / or absorbed by the liquid desiccant. Liquid desiccant materials can include a wide variety of substances and / or solutions, such as chloride species (e.g., sodium, calcium, cobalt, magnesium, potassium, and / or hydrogen chloride), iodide species (e.g., sodium, potassium, and / or hydrogen iodide, nitrogen triiodide, carbon tetraiodide, etc.), chlorine fluoride, bromomethane, nitrate species, aqueous (or non-aqueous) solutions of poly and ethylene glycols, and various salts and other materials. Lithium chloride (LiCl) is a frequently used liquid desiccant due to its low cost, as well as desirable properties including its ability to absorb and desorb water, and its stability in liquid form without forming a crystalline phase over a wide range of concentrations and operating conditions. Unlike conventional HVAC systems, the removal of water and / or moisture from air and / or other gas flows via a liquid desiccant does not require cooling of the air and / or other gas flows to condense the water and / or moisture (and therefore does not involve a large latent heat load from cooling water and / or moisture). Instead, the hygroscopic nature of the liquid desiccant material makes the transfer of water and / or moisture from air and / or other gas flows to the liquid desiccant thermodynamically favorable. As a result, water and / or moisture can be removed from air using liquid desiccants without the high energy requirements of conventional HVAC systems with cooling coils. Despite the advantages of liquid desiccants, their use for airflow regulation comes with potential challenges such as corrosiveness and airborne properties, which can pose a considerable risk of corrosion of nearby metal components. Approaches to mitigate losses from liquid desiccants or desiccant carryover include post-treatment with a filtered, regulated airflow.While installing filters to regulate airflow may reduce losses of liquid desiccants or desiccant carryover, their implementation imposes additional energy requirements to move air through the filters, resulting in a decrease in overall energy efficiency. Additionally, the use of filters can introduce significant maintenance costs.

[0012] A liquid desiccant air conditioning system includes a first subsystem (often called an absorber, air treatment and / or air conditioning unit) for handling the incoming airflow using the liquid desiccant. The liquid desiccant air conditioning system may also include a second subsystem (often called a dehumidifier and / or regenerator) for regenerating the liquid desiccant after it has performed its dehumidifying function. Regeneration of the liquid desiccant generally involves removing excess water from the desiccant after it has been used in the absorber. Removing excess water from the desiccant creates a higher concentration of the desiccant material in the liquid desiccant, which can then be redeployed onto the absorber. Regeneration of the liquid desiccant can be carried out in several ways. For example, the liquid desiccant may be regenerated using a thermal regenerator, an electrochemical regenerator, or an electrochemical desorber (ECD). The heat regenerator uses single or multi-stage thermal boiling desorbers, bidirectional thermal desorbers, and / or tridirectional thermal film desorbers, which provide the energy necessary to remove water and / or moisture from the liquid desiccant by using a secondary airflow preheated from an energy exchanger (e.g., a waste heat source from a compressor). In bidirectional systems, air and liquid desiccant are the only fluids flowing through the energy exchanger. In tridirectional systems, an additional coolant is introduced to absorb heat for air dehumidification and / or to add heat for air dehumidification. Electrochemical desorbers (ECDs) use a power source to drive ions in the ionic desiccant solution through an ion exchange membrane, thereby separating the desiccant solution into high-concentration and low-concentration desiccant flows. Generally, ECDs include multiple separation steps that allow the ECD to achieve very high concentrations of regenerated liquid desiccant, for example, a concentration increase of 20–31% is commonly possible. More conventional bidirectional liquid desiccant systems can achieve a concentration improvement of approximately 0.3–0.5%. The three-way liquid desiccant system has been shown to achieve a concentration increase of 1.5–2.5%.

[0013] Regardless of the specific approach used to regenerate the liquid desiccant, the amount of liquid desiccant flowing from the air treatment side to the regeneration side of the system is a significant factor in the overall energy savings the system can achieve. Desorbers and / or regenerators that generate a low concentration increase of liquid desiccant during regeneration typically require a large desiccant flow rate to achieve moisture removal from a given airflow. These large liquid desiccant flow rates have two detrimental effects. Firstly, since the liquid desiccant is transferred from the desorber to the absorber after regeneration and needs to process the incoming airflow, the liquid desiccant moves an amount of heat proportional to both (1) the liquid desiccant flow rate and (2) the temperature difference between the absorber and the desorber. In the case of a desorber that generates a low concentration difference and uses a high flow rate, this heat transport significantly reduces system efficiency. This reduction in system efficiency can be so great that it requires a desiccant-to-desiccant heat exchanger placed between the absorber / desorber loop, which is a solution that adds complexity, points of failure, equipment costs, and maintenance issues. Secondly, because the regeneration process requires preheating of the secondary airflow (e.g., the regeneration airflow), using a large desiccant flow rate increases the heat load on the regeneration side of the system, leading to increased overall energy consumption and reduced system efficiency. Conversely, desorbers and / or regenerators that generate increased concentrations of liquid desiccant do not require the use of a large desiccant flow rate to achieve moisture removal from the airflow. Thus, using an ultra-low desiccant flow rate on the regeneration side can reduce the system's heat / energy load and lead to increased energy efficiency. For example, as shown in Figure 2, using a larger desiccant regeneration flow rate, such as 10,000 mL / min, results in two significant drawbacks: (1) a cooling loss of approximately 9% (6,601 W) occurs because the heat carried from regeneration is transferred to the process airflow, and (2) a high heat load of 24 kW is required to heat the airflow of 2,807 CFM, meaning that in many systems, there may be insufficient heat available for regeneration in many situations. In contrast, reducing this to an ultra-low desiccant flow rate regime, such as 1,000 mL / min, solves these problems by reducing efficiency losses to 660 W (typically 0.9%) and thermal requirements to 17 kW.In some embodiments, the systems disclosed herein may include a regenerating liquid desiccant capable of transporting and / or transferring heat to a process airflow (e.g., a controlled airflow), wherein the transported heat is about 2 kW or less, about 1.5 kW or less, about 1.0 kW or less, about 0.9 kW or less, about 0.8 kW or less, about 0.7 kW or less, about 0.6 kW or less, about 0.5 kW or less, about 0.4 kW or less, about 0.3 kW or less, about 0.2 kW or less, about 0.1 kW or less, or about 0.05 kW or less, and includes all values ​​and ranges in between. Optionally and / or alternatively, in some embodiments, the systems disclosed herein may include a regenerating liquid desiccant capable of transporting and / or transferring heat to a process airflow (e.g., a controlled airflow), wherein the transported heat represents about 5% or less, about 4% or less, about 3% or less, about 2% or less, about 1% or less, about 0.75% or less, about 0.5% or less, about 0.25% or less, about 0.1% or less, or 0.05% or less (including all values ​​and ranges in between).

[0014] The flow rate of the liquid desiccant is one of many factors that affect the effectiveness of a desorber. The maximum effectiveness that can be obtained for a desorber with a given temperature and desiccant concentration is achieved when the desiccant leaving the desorber is in equilibrium with the regenerating airflow (e.g., air entering the desorber in a counterflow configuration). Under these conditions, the effectiveness of the desorber can be assigned a value of 1.0. For desorbers where the desiccant leaving the desorber does not reach equilibrium with the regenerating airflow, the effectiveness can be assigned a value between 0 and 1.0, proportional to how close the desiccant leaving the desorber is to equilibrium with the regenerating airflow. While the effectiveness of a desorber depends on the temperature and humidity of the regenerating airflow, designing the desorber to optimize effectiveness can involve, for example, using appropriate regenerating airflow conditions that represent typical cases, worst-case scenarios, and / or various appropriate characteristic cases. The effectiveness of any desorber at a given flow rate depends on several design choices of the desorber, including, for example, the material selection and / or height / length of the interaction path with the regenerating airflow. Given the design conditions, extending the length of the media bed by 25%, 50%, or 100% can increase the effectiveness at a given flow rate and emitter density by 10–25%, 20–45%, and 40–90%, respectively. Similarly, for a given length and emitter density, increasing the flow rate by 25%, 50%, and 100% can increase the effectiveness by 8–18%, 16–36%, and 33–71%, respectively. In some embodiments, the height and / or length of the detacher may be selected to provide at least about 40% effectiveness, at least about 45% effectiveness, at least about 50% effectiveness, at least about 55% effectiveness, at least about 60% effectiveness, at least about 65% effectiveness, at least about 70% effectiveness, at least about 75% effectiveness, at least about 80% effectiveness, at least about 85% effectiveness, at least about 90% effectiveness, or at least about 95% effectiveness (including all values ​​and ranges in between).

[0015] The use of low and / or very low flow rates of liquid desiccants presents significant challenges to maximizing effectiveness, particularly on the regeneration side of the system, such as achieving an effective distribution of low volumetric flow rates of liquid desiccant on the contact medium contained in the desorber (e.g., dispersing a small amount of liquid descant across all contact medium contained in the desorber to produce a uniform and / or homogeneous concentration of liquid desiccant). A uniform distribution of liquid desiccant on the contact medium facilitates heat and mass transfer processes, which ultimately increases the effectiveness of the regenerator, allowing for the removal of moisture from the substantial majority of the liquid desiccant and its transfer to the regeneration flow. To achieve a uniform (or nearly uniform) distribution of liquid desiccant on the contact medium of the desorber, the systems and devices disclosed herein may incorporate multiple dripping emitters (e.g., also called emitters) designed to distribute, release, and / or flow a uniform and controlled amount of liquid desiccant (e.g., a controlled flow rate). These emitters are designed to distribute and / or discharge liquid desiccant at the same or very similar flow rates. The emitters may be located on tubes, pipes, channels, and / or conduits within the desorber to deliver the liquid desiccant to the contact medium. Since the fluid is nearly incompressible, this imposes the requirement that the pressure drop between the inlet to the emitter and the outlet from the emitter must be much greater than both (1) the pressure drop of the liquid desiccant as it enters the conduit, and (2) the pressure drop of the liquid desiccant as it travels through the conduit from the inlet to the last emitter (e.g., the pressure drop across the conduit). Thus, the pressure difference between the inlet to the first emitter and the last emitter in a series of emitters is much smaller than the pressure drop between the emitter inlet and outlet for each emitter in the series. In some embodiments, the ratio of pressure drops across emitters in a series of emitters is equal to, 2, 3, or 4 times or more the pressure drop between the emitter with the highest pressure inlet and the emitter with the lowest pressure inlet. In some embodiments, the pressure drop between these two emitters (e.g., the emitter with the highest pressure inlet and the emitter with the lowest pressure inlet) may be about 1 psi, 3 psi, 6 psi, 9 psi, or 12 psi.The pressure drop between the emitter inlet and outlet can be approximately 1 psi, 5 psi, 10 psi, or greater than 10 psi. In some embodiments, the pressure from the conduit inlet, where a series of emitters are located at the furthest emitter in the conduit, must be low enough to allow the inlet pressure at the final emitter to be equal to or greater than the pressure drop across the emitter.

[0016] The use of low and / or very low flow rates can also present challenges associated with the loss of liquid desiccant due to carryover on the regenerating flow. Relatively small amounts of liquid desiccant distributed on the contact medium of the desorber can be physically removed from the desorber by the regenerating airflow. More specifically, low and / or very low flow rate distribution of liquid desiccant using conventional liquid manifolds can lead to the formation of liquid desiccant droplets (e.g., liquid desiccant sputtering). These droplets become airborne and are recovered and / or carried away by the regenerating flow from the desorber, causing loss of liquid desiccant in the system as well as significant corrosion problems. To prevent this carryover, various characteristics of the emitter and medium bed systems must be carefully manipulated. This includes, for example, the selection and placement of emitters (i.e., density per square meter of cross-sectional area), the amount of desiccant distributed by each emitter and the resulting flow rate of the desiccant, the materials used to construct the medium bed, the geometric shape of the medium bed, and / or the design of the interface between the emitters and the medium bed, including the distance between the emitters and the medium bed and the degree to which the emitters are embedded in the medium bed.

[0017] In some embodiments, the material used to construct the medium bed may be selected to be cellulose, while in other embodiments it may be glass fiber. In some embodiments, the material used to construct the medium bed may be a polymer. In some embodiments, the material used to construct the medium bed may be any preferred combination of the materials disclosed herein. The medium bed may be any suitable size and shape. For example, in some embodiments, the medium bed may be a three-dimensional shape defined by a square or rectangular cross-sectional area and length (thus forming a cubic or rectangular prism shape). In some embodiments, the medium bed may be a three-dimensional shape defined by a polygonal cross-sectional area and length (thus forming a polyhedron shape). In some embodiments, the medium bed may be a three-dimensional shape defined by a circular cross-section and length (thus forming a cylinder). In some embodiments, the liquid desiccant and regenerating airflow may be arranged in a counterflow configuration. In some embodiments, the liquid desiccant and regenerating airflow may be arranged in a crossflow configuration. Counterflow configurations increase the effectiveness of the decoupler, while crossflow typically allows for fewer winding paths for the regenerating airflow, thus reducing the energy required to move the regenerating air. In some embodiments, the emitter is located on a conduit, and the conduit is located on a medium bed (e.g., the conduit with the emitter is in physical contact with the medium bed). In some embodiments, the emitter is located on a conduit, and the conduit is located at a predetermined distance from the medium bed. In some embodiments, this distance can be at least about 1 / 10 of the conduit diameter, at least about 1 / 8 of the conduit diameter, at least about 1 / 6 of the conduit diameter, at least about 1 / 4 of the conduit diameter, at least about 1 / 2 of the conduit diameter, or at least approximately equal to the conduit diameter, and can include all ranges and values ​​in between. In some embodiments, the emitter is located directly in a trench in the medium bed. In some embodiments, the emitter is located in a serrated structure. These trenches and / or sawtooth structures may be of various sizes and / or depths, including half the diameter, the full diameter, twice the diameter, or more than twice the diameter of the liquid desiccant bearing conduit.In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11, an additional layer of the media floor can be installed over the conduit and emitter, trench, and / or serrated structure.

[0018] As used in this specification and / or any claims contained herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, the term "member" is intended to mean a single member or combination of members, "material" is intended to mean one or more materials, and / or the like.

[0019] As used herein, the phrase "at least one" with respect to a list of one or more elements means at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but necessarily includes at least one of each and every element specifically listed in the list of elements and does not exclude any combination of elements in the list of elements. It should be understood that this definition also allows for the possibility that elements may optionally be present in addition to those specifically identified in the list of elements to which the phrase "at least one" refers, whether or not they are related to those specifically identified elements. Thus, by way of non-limiting example, "at least one of A and B" (or, equivalently, "at least one of A or B", or, equivalently, "at least one of A and / or B") can refer, in one implementation, to at least one (optionally including one or more) A where B is not present (and optionally including elements other than B), in another implementation, to at least one (optionally including one or more) B where A is not present (and optionally including elements other than A), and still another implementation, to at least one (and optionally including one or more) A, and at least one (and optionally including one or more) B (and optionally including other elements), and the like.

[0020] As used herein, the term "set" may refer to a single feature having a plurality of features or a plurality of components. For example, when referring to a set of walls, the set of walls may be considered as one wall having a plurality of parts, or the set of walls may be considered as a plurality of separate walls. Thus, a monolithically constructed item may include a set of walls. Such a set of walls may include a plurality of parts that are either continuous or discontinuous with each other. A set of walls may also be made from a plurality of items that are separately manufactured (e.g., via welding, adhesives, or any suitable method) and later joined together.

[0021] As used herein, when used in relation to the recited values and / or geometric structures or relationships, the terms "about", "approximately", and / or "substantially" are intended to convey that the so-defined value or property is nominally the recited value or recited property. In some instances, the terms "about", "approximately", and / or "substantially" may generally mean a value or property described within a desired tolerance (e.g., plus or minus 10% of the recited value or property) and / or may generally be contemplated. For example, a value of about 0.01 may include 0.009 and 0.011, a value of about 0.5 may include 0.45 and 0.55, a value of about ten may include nine to eleven, and a value of about one thousand may include nine hundred to one thousand one hundred. Similarly, a first surface may be described as being substantially parallel to a second surface when the surfaces are nominally parallel. Although the recited values, structures, and / or relationships may be desirable, of course, some differences may occur as a result of, for example, manufacturing tolerances or other practical considerations (e.g., pressure or force applied through a portion of a device, conduit, lumen). Thus, the terms "about", "approximately", and / or "substantially" can be used herein to account for such tolerances and / or considerations.

[0022] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of an ultra-low flow liquid desiccant air conditioning system 100 for air conditioning and dehumidification according to one embodiment. The ultra-low flow liquid desiccant air conditioning system 100, which may also be referred to herein as the ultra-low flow LD system 100 or system 1000, includes an absorber 110 and a deconverter 130 comprising a distributor component 140. The absorber 110 can receive a supply airflow 10, which may be any suitable airflow containing a stream and / or airflow of ambient air and / or moisture requiring dehumidification and / or conditioning. The absorber 110 may remove water and / or moisture from the supply airflow 10 by exposing the supply airflow 10 (or, if the system includes an optional heat exchanger 160 as further described herein, the supply airflow 10a) to a flow of liquid desiccant (not shown in Figure 1). The flow of liquid desiccant may be a liquid solution containing one or more salts that can absorb water and / or moisture. Exposure of the supply airflow 10 to the liquid desiccant flow (e.g., bringing the supply airflow 10 into contact with the liquid desiccant flow) transfers and / or absorbs water and / or moisture contained in the supply airflow 10 onto the liquid desiccant flow, generating a low-moisture regulated airflow 11. The absorption of water and / or moisture present in the supply airflow 10 reduces the salt concentration in the liquid desiccant flow, generating a diluted liquid desiccant flow that requires regeneration. In some implementations, a first portion and / or fraction of the diluted desiccant flow may be recycled to an absorber 110, while a second portion and / or fraction of the diluted desiccant flow (e.g., diluted liquid desiccant 14 shown in Figure 1) is sent to a desorber 130 for regeneration. Figure 1 also shows that the desorber 130 receives a regenerated flow 12 and exposes the regenerated flow 12 (or, if the system includes any heat exchanger 150 as further disclosed herein, the regenerated flow 12a) to a diluted liquid desiccant 14 to remove excess water and / or moisture present in the diluted liquid desiccant 14. The regenerated flow 12 may be any suitable regenerated gas flow capable of removing water and / or moisture from the ambient airflow and / or the liquid desiccant. The desorber 130 includes a distributor component 140 that distributes, directs, and / or distributes an ultra-low flow rate of diluted liquid desiccant 14 to the desorber 130 so as to come into contact with the regenerated flow 12.By bringing the diluted liquid desiccant 14 into contact with the regenerated flow 12, water and / or moisture present in the diluted liquid desiccant 14 is transferred and / or desorbed from the diluted liquid desiccant 14 into the regenerated flow 12. The transfer of water and / or moisture generates a concentrated liquid desiccant 15 and an exhaust flow 13, as shown in Figure 1. The exhaust flow 13 is discharged into the surroundings, while the concentrated liquid desiccant 15 is recirculated to the absorber 110, where it is included in the liquid desiccant flow and can remove water and / or moisture from the supply airflow 10. In this way, the ultra-low flow rate LD system 100 can have a desiccant flow in a loop between the absorber 110 and the desorber 13 for regeneration after removing moisture from the supply airflow 10 (or supply airflow 10a), with diluted liquid desiccant 14 being sent from the absorber 110 to the desorber 130, and concentrated liquid desiccant 15 (produced in the desorber 130 after moisture has been removed in the regeneration flow 15) being sent back to the absorber 110 to process the supply airflow 10 (or supply airflow 10a). Note that in some implementations, at least a portion of the liquid desiccant can be recirculated within the absorber 110. In such implementations, a first portion of the liquid desiccant that has come into contact with the supply airflow 10 (or supply airflow 10a) can be recirculated back to the absorber 110 to continue processing the supply airflow 10, while a second portion of the liquid desiccant (e.g., diluted liquid desiccant 14) can be diverted to the desorber 130 for regeneration. The concentrated liquid desiccant 15 produced in the desorber 130 from the diluted liquid desiccant 14 is sent back to the absorber 110, where it can be mixed with the first portion of the recirculated liquid desiccant to create a flow of liquid desiccant used to remove moisture from the supply airflow 10.

[0023] In some implementations, the removal of water and / or moisture from the diluted liquid desiccant 14 may require heating the regenerated flow 12 to a predetermined temperature before entering the desorber 130. As a result, in some implementations, the ultra-low flow rate LD system 100 may include an optional heat exchanger 150. The heat exchanger 150 can be any suitable heat exchanger device that receives the regenerated flow 12 and heats it to a desired temperature to generate a regenerated flow 12a. The regenerated flow 12a may be introduced into and / or received within the desorber 130 and exposed to the diluted liquid desiccant 14 to remove water and / or moisture from the diluted liquid desiccant 14, thereby generating a concentrated liquid desiccant 15 and an exhaust flow 13. Similarly, in some implementations, the supply airflow 10 may require a cooling step before entering the absorber 110 to remove water and / or moisture. In such implementations, the ultra-low flow rate LD system 100 may include an optional heat exchanger 160. The heat exchanger 160 can be any suitable heat exchanger device similar to the heat exchanger 150, receiving the supply airflow 10, heating it to a desired temperature, and generating the supply airflow 10a. The supply airflow 10a may enter and / or be received within the absorber 110, as described above, and be exposed to a flow of liquid desiccant to remove water and / or moisture from the supply airflow 10a, generating a conditioned airflow 11 and diluted liquid desiccant 14. It should be noted that the ultra-low flow rate LD system 100 includes a heat exchanger 160 for cooling the supply airflow, but the heat exchanger 160 is not configured to act as a primary means for removing moisture from the supply airflow 10. Instead, the heat exchanger 160 is designed to pre-condition the supply airflow to balance the heat generated by the absorption of water and / or moisture in the liquid desiccant. Thus, the heat exchanger 160 does not have the high energy requirements of conventional HVAC systems.

[0024] The absorber 110 can be any suitable component that receives the supply airflow 10 (or supply airflow 10a) and provides a liquid / gas interface that allows the supply airflow to be exposed to a liquid desiccant to remove water and / or moisture from the supply airflow 10 (or supply airflow 10a). The absorber 110 may include a housing, a plurality of inlet and outlet ports, and a contact medium. The housing of the absorber 110 can be any suitable enclosure that defines at least one internal volume and / or chamber for housing one or more components of the absorber 110. The housing can be any suitable size and shape. For example, in some implementations, the housing may be cylindrical in shape defined by length and circular cross-sectional area. In other implementations, the housing may be three-dimensional in shape defined by length and suitable cross-sectional area such as square, elliptical, oblong, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, or any suitable polygonal shape. In some implementations, the housing may be shaped to maximize the internal volume for housing and / or accommodating the contact medium and / or other components of the absorber 110, while minimizing the footprint of the absorber 110 (e.g., the external area and / or volume occupied by the absorber 110). The housing of the absorber 110 may be made from any suitable material that has sufficient rigidity and resistance to degradation due to exposure to the flow of liquid desiccant and / or other species present during the adjustment of the supply airflow 10. For example, in some implementations, the housing of the absorber 110 may be made from and / or include, but are not limited to, metals, metal alloys, polymers, and / or composite materials, including, but not limited to, iron, nickel cobalt, aluminum, steel, copper, chromium, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, poly(methyl methacrylate), glass fiber, and / or any other suitable material. In some implementation configurations, the materials forming the housing may be coated with a protective coating (e.g., an anti-corrosion coating) to reduce undesirable degradation and / or corrosion, which may affect the structural integrity of the housing or cause leakage of the supply airflow 10, liquid desiccant, regulated airflow 11, and / or contact medium over time.

[0025] The absorber 110 may include a plurality of inlet and outlet ports designed to receive and allow the supply airflow 10 (or supply airflow 10a) and the liquid desiccant flow into the absorber 110. In some implementations, the absorber 110 may include at least one gas inlet port and one gas outlet port that allow the supply airflow 10 (or supply airflow 10a) to flow. The absorber 110 may also include at least one liquid inlet port and one liquid outlet port that allow the liquid desiccant flow into the absorber 110. Furthermore, in some implementations, the absorber 110 may also include a plurality of inlet and outlet ports (auxiliary ports) for allowing any appropriate number of auxiliary flows necessary to adjust the supply airflow (e.g., refrigerant flow, coolant flow, cooling water flow, etc.). In some implementations, the absorber 110 may also include any additional components and / or accessories that facilitate the flow of the supply airflow 10 and the liquid desiccant within the housing, such as valves, fittings, couplings, connecting derivatives, splitters, gauges, and sensors.

[0026] As disclosed above, the absorber 110 may also include a contact medium used to facilitate contact between the supply airflow 10 (or supply airflow 10a) and the liquid desiccant flow. The contact medium may be disposed within at least one internal volume, chamber, and / or compartment defined by the housing. The contact medium may be and / or include, for example, one or more pack beds, tray towers, spray towers, bubble columns, membranes, or any other suitable vapor / liquid mass transport unit operating components. In some implementations, the contact medium (also called the medium bed) may be made of a packing material that provides a liquid / gas interface for the transfer of moisture from the supply airflow 10 (or supply airflow 10a) to the liquid desiccant flow. In some implementations, the contact medium may be made of, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, glass fiber, cellulose, or other suitable heat and mass transfer material and / or hygroscopic material. In some implementations, the contact medium may be any random and / or structured filler (e.g., a rusting ring, filler, etc.), cellulose, designed to evenly distribute the flow of the liquid desiccant exposed to the airflow (e.g., supply airflow 10 or 10a). The filler material may be a fabric formed into a mat, cylinder, or other shape.

[0027] The absorber 110 may expose the supply airflow 10 (or supply airflow 10a) to the liquid desiccant flow to transfer moisture from the airflow 10 (or supply airflow 10a) to the desiccant flow, thereby generating a diluted liquid desiccant flow that requires regeneration. The absorber 110 may be configured to recirculate a first portion and / or fraction of the diluted desiccant flow back into the absorber and / or send a second portion and / or fraction of the diluted desiccant flow (e.g., the diluted liquid desiccant 14 shown in Figure 1) to the desorber 130 for regeneration. In some implementations, the diluted liquid desiccant 14 is sent to the desorber 130 for regeneration, and the percentage of the flow of the diluted liquid desiccant used to remove moisture from the supply airflow in the absorber 110 may be as low as approximately 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 15%, 18%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, and 75% (including all values ​​and ranges in between).

[0028] The desorber 130 can be any suitable component that receives the diluted liquid desiccant 14, exposes the diluted liquid desiccant 14 to the regenerating flow 15, and provides a liquid / gas interface for removing water and / or moisture from the diluted liquid desiccant 14 (e.g., readjusting the liquid desiccant for further processing in the absorber 110). The desorber 130 may include a housing, a plurality of inlet and outlet ports, a distributor component 140, and a contact medium. The housing of the desorber 130 may be similar to and / or identical to the housing of the absorber 110. For example, the housing of the desorber 130 may be any suitable enclosure that defines at least one internal volume and / or chamber for housing one or more components of the desorber 130. The housing may be any suitable size and shape. For example, in some implementations, the housing may be cylindrical, defined by length and circular cross-sectional area. In other configurations, the housing may be a three-dimensional shape defined by length and a suitable cross-sectional area such as a square, ellipse, oblong, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, or any suitable polygonal shape. In some configurations, the housing may be a shape selected to maximize the internal volume for housing and / or accommodating the distributor components, contact medium, and / or other components of the desiccant 130, while minimizing the footprint of the desiccant 130 (e.g., the external area and / or volume occupied by the desiccant 130). The housing of the desiccant 130 may be made from any suitable material that has sufficient rigidity and resistance to degradation due to exposure to the flow of liquid desiccant and / or other species present during the preparation of the diluted liquid desiccant 14. For example, in some implementations, the housing of the detacher 130 may be made of, and / or include, metals, metal alloys, polymers, and / or composite materials, but are not limited to, iron, nickel cobalt, aluminum, steel, copper, chromium, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, poly(methyl methacrylate), glass fiber, and / or any other suitable material.In some implementations, the materials forming the housing may be coated with a protective coating (e.g., an anti-corrosion coating) to reduce undesirable degradation and / or corrosion, which may affect the structural integrity of the housing or cause leakage of the liquid desiccant 14, concentrated liquid desiccant 15, regenerative flow, exhaust flow, and / or contact medium over time.

[0029] The desorber 130 may include a plurality of inlet and outlet ports designed to receive and flow the regenerated flow 12 (or regenerated flow 12a) and the diluted liquid desiccant 14 into the desorber 130. In some implementations, the desorber 130 may include at least one gas inlet port and one gas outlet port that allows the regenerated flow 12 (or regenerated flow 12a) to flow into the desorber 130. The desorber 130 may also include at least one liquid inlet port and one liquid outlet port that allows the flow of the liquid desiccant within the desorber 130. In some implementations, the desorber 130 may include a liquid inlet port configured to receive the diluted liquid desiccant 14 and transport the diluted liquid desiccant 14 to the distributor component 140. In other implementations, the distributor component 140 may be directly connected to the liquid outlet port of the absorber 110 to receive the diluted liquid desiccant 14 (for example, the distributor component 140 is fluid-connected to the liquid outlet port of the absorber 110). As shown in Figure 1, the desorber 130 may also include a liquid outlet port that allows the concentrated liquid desiccant 15 to flow from the desorber 130 to the absorber 110. In some implementations, the desorber 130 may also include a number of inlet and outlet ports (auxiliary ports) for passing any appropriate number of auxiliary flows necessary to regenerate the diluted liquid desiccant 14 (e.g., steam, heated gas flow, heated fluid, etc.).

[0030] In some configurations, the gas inlet and outlet ports, liquid inlet and outlet ports, and auxiliary ports of the desorber 130 may be directly disposed and / or connected to the surface of the housing of the desorber 130. In some configurations, the gas inlet and outlet ports, liquid inlet and outlet ports, and / or auxiliary ports of the desorber 130 may be included in and / or disposed on a manifold. The manifold may be connected to the housing of the desorber 130 at any suitable location. In some configurations, the manifold of the desorber 130 may be sized and configured to receive and pass a regenerated flow 12 (or regenerated flow 12a) into the desorber 130, with the distributor component 140 directly connected to the liquid outlet port of the absorber 110 to receive and pass the diluted liquid desiccant 14. The manifold may also include at least one liquid outlet port that is fluid-coupled to the absorber 110 and directs the concentrated liquid desiccant 15 generated in the desorber 130 to and from the absorber 110. Alternatively, in some implementations, the manifold may include a liquid inlet port configured to receive diluted liquid desiccant 14 and transport the diluted liquid desiccant 14 to the distributor component 140. As described above, the manifold may also include any suitable number of auxiliary ports for carrying the auxiliary flows necessary to regenerate the diluted liquid desiccant 14. In some implementations, the auxiliary ports may be located on a separate manifold. In some implementations, the desorber 130 may also include a regeneration flow 12 (or regeneration flow 12a) and any additional components and / or accessories that facilitate the flow of the diluted liquid desiccant 14 into the housing, such as valves, fittings, couplings, coupling derivatives, splitters, gauges, sensors, etc.

[0031] The distributor component 140 is any suitable component that receives the diluted liquid desiccant 14 from the absorber 110 and releases, directs, flows, distributes, and / or distributes an ultra-low flow rate of the diluted liquid desiccant 14 for regeneration into the contact medium of the desorber 130. As disclosed above, the use of low and / or ultra-low liquid desiccant flow rates in the conditioning system, particularly on the regeneration side of the conditioning system, can reduce the thermal / energy load of the system and lead to increased energy efficiency. However, the use of low or ultra-low flow rates of liquid desiccant presents significant challenges, such as distributing the liquid desiccant flow slowly across the absorber / regenerator to enable effective and efficient moisture removal, and preventing or minimizing carryover of the liquid desiccant into the airflow to avoid and / or prevent corrosion problems. The distributor component 140 can address all these challenges by ensuring a precisely controlled, ultra-low flow rate, continuous, and uniform delivery of the diluted liquid desiccant 14, which is sufficient to moisten and / or impregnate most and / or substantially all of the contact medium within the desorber 130.

[0032] The distributor component 140 facilitates the release, induction, flow, distribution, and / or distribution of a precisely controlled flow rate of the diluted liquid desiccant 14, independent of fluctuations and / or changes caused by various factors, including, for example, fluctuations in hydrodynamic pressure in the absorber 110 and / or some other components of the ultra-low LD system 100, large changes and / or gradients in the viscosity of the diluted liquid desiccant 14 caused by changes in the temperature of the diluted liquid desiccant 14, or the concentration of at least one desiccant salt present in the diluted liquid desiccant 14. The distributor component 140 allows for fine-tuning of the flow rate of the diluted liquid desiccant 14, thereby sufficient to moisten and / or impregnate the desiccant 130 with most, and / or substantially all, of the contact medium (e.g., to achieve effective distribution of the liquid desiccant). The distributor component 140 also enables the distribution of liquid desiccant while reducing, minimizing, and / or preventing carryover of the desiccant into the regenerated flow 12 (e.g., by sputtering and / or spillage).

[0033] The distributor component 140 may include an inlet, a conduit, and one or more emitters or pressure-compensating emitters. The inlet may be configured to receive a flow of liquid desiccant from an absorber, such as the diluted liquid desiccant 14 shown in Figure 1. In some embodiments, the inlet of the distributor 140 may be fluid-connected to at least one liquid outlet port of the absorber 110 to receive the diluted liquid desiccant (e.g., diluted liquid desiccant 14). In some implementations, the inlet of the distributor component 140 may be located on the manifold of the adapter 130. In other implementations, the inlet of the distributor component 140 may be freestanding (e.g., not connected to and / or fixed to the manifold). The inlet of the distributor component 140 may be fluid-connected to or in fluid communication with a conduit. The conduit of the distributor component 140 may be a tube, hose, duct, line, or pipe that can be used to receive and flow the diluted liquid desiccant 14 from the absorber 110. The conduits may be made of any suitable material that has sufficient resistance to decomposition caused by exposure to one or more highly corrosive components of the diluted liquid desiccant 14. For example, in some implementations, the conduits may be made of and / or include metals, metal alloys, polymers, and / or composite materials, including but not limited to iron, nickel, cobalt, aluminum, steel, copper, chromium, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, poly(methyl methacrylate), and glass fiber. In some implementations, the conduits may be coated with a protective coating to reduce undesirable degradation and / or corrosion (e.g., corrosion-resistant coatings). In some implementations, the conduits of the distributor component 140 may be made of a flexible material (e.g., a material that can be bent and / or reshaped, such as a plastic housing or pipe). In other implementations, the conduits of the distributor component 140 may be rigid pipes and / or ducts made of metals, polymers, metal oxides, and / or combinations thereof.

[0034] The distributor component 140, more specifically, the conduit of the distributor component 140, may be located on any suitable portion and / or section of the detacher 130. In some embodiments, the specific placement of the distributor component 140 on the detacher (e.g., its position within the detacher, geometric shape, dimensions, etc.) can affect the system's ability to reduce, minimize, and / or prevent liquid desiccant carryover. In some implementations, the conduit of the distributor component 140 may be located on the end portion of the detacher 130. More specifically, in some embodiments, the conduit of the distributor component 140 may be located on the upper end portion of the detacher 130, away from (e.g., opposite to) the ground and / or horizontal plane on which the ultra-low LD system is installed. In some implementations, the conduit of the distributor component 140 may be located on the bottom end portion of the detacher 130, adjacent to the ground and / or horizontal plane on which the ultra-low LD system is installed. In some implementations, the conduits of the distributor component 140 may be arranged in multiple regions and / or parts of the detacher 130. For example, the conduits of the distributor component 140 may have a first part and / or section arranged on the bottom end of the detacher 130, and multiple parts arranged within the detacher 130 above the first part and / or section, stacked at a predetermined distance from the first part and / or section. For example, the multiple parts may be stacked continuously above the first part and / or section at a predetermined distance (e.g., distance "A"). That is, starting from the bottom of the detacher 130, each part of the conduit is stacked at a length of "A". In other implementations, the conduits of the distributor component 140 may be arranged within the detacher 130 in a random arrangement, pattern, and / or distribution. In some implementations, the conduit of the distributor component 140 may be a single tube, pipe, hose, duct, line, or pipe comprising two opposing end portions, namely a first end portion connected to the inlet of the distributor component 140 and a sealed second end portion. In some implementations, the conduit of the distributor component 140 may be a closed loop connected to the inlet. In other implementations, the conduit may comprise multiple sections (e.g., derivations and / or branches) distributed in a parallel / series configuration within the adapter 130, as further described herein.

[0035] The emitters or pressure-compensating emitters of the distributor component 140 may be one or more devices and / or structures that enable the discharge, direction, flow, distribution, and / or distribution of one or more flows of diluted liquid desiccant 14 from the conduit to the contact medium of the desorber 130 at an ultra-low flow rate o. The emitters or pressure-compensating emitters, which may also be called “dropping emitters” and / or “emitters”, may be one or more orifices positioned on the conduit of the distributor component 140 according to a predetermined arrangement and / or layout. The predetermined arrangement and / or layout of the emitters, as further described herein, facilitates the distribution of an ultra-low flow of diluted liquid desiccant 14 to wet and / or impregnate most and / or substantially all of the contact medium in the desorber 130.

[0036] The distributor component 140 enables the discharge, direction, flow, distribution, and / or distribution of an ultra-low flow rate of diluted liquid desiccant 14 from the conduit to the contact medium of the desorbent 130. In some implementations, the ultra-low flow rate of diluted liquid desiccant 14 may be several times smaller than the flow rate of the regenerated flow 12 (or regenerated flow 12a). In other words, the regenerated flow 12 (or regenerated flow 12a) can flow at a mass flow rate value several times larger than the mass flow rate value of the diluted liquid desiccant 14 discharged, direction, flow, distribution, and / or distributed by the distributor component 140. For example, in some implementations, a predetermined multiple in which the mass flow rate value of the regenerated flow 12 (or regenerated flow 12a) is greater than the mass flow rate value of the diluted liquid desiccant 14 distributed by the distributor component 140 may be at least about 30 times, about 40 times, about 50 times, about 60 times, about 70 times, about 80 times, about 90 times, about 100 times, about 110 times, about 120 times, about 130 times, about 140 times, or about 150 times (including all values ​​and ranges in between).

[0037] As described above, the removal of moisture from the diluted liquid desiccant 14 by the regeneration flow 12 at an ultra-low flow rate (e.g., regeneration) can result in a significant change in the concentration of at least one salt present in the diluted liquid desiccant 14. For example, in some implementations, the concentration of the salt present in the diluted liquid desiccant 14 (or the flow of diluted liquid desiccant entering the regenerator 130) may be a first salt concentration in weight percent (W%), while the concentration of the salt present in the concentrated liquid desiccant 15 may be a second salt concentration in weight percent (W%). In some embodiments, the difference between the first salt concentration and the second salt concentration is at least about 2.0% by weight, about 3.0% by weight, about 3.5% by weight, about 4.0% by weight, about 4.5% by weight, about 5.0% by weight, about 5.5% by weight, about 6% by weight, about 6.5% by weight, about 7.0% by weight, about 7.5% by weight, about 8.0% by weight, about 8.5% by weight, about 9.0% by weight, about 9.5% by weight, about 10% by weight, about 11% by weight, about 12% by weight, about 13% by weight, about 14% by weight, or about 15% by weight (including all values ​​and ranges in between).

[0038] As disclosed above, the desorber 130 may also include a contact medium used to facilitate contact between the regenerating flow 12 (or regenerating flow 12a) and the diluted liquid desiccant 14. The contact medium of the desorber 130 may be disposed within at least one internal volume, chamber, and / or compartment defined by the housing of the desorber 130. The contact medium may be and / or include any suitable vapor / liquid mass transport unit operating components such as one or more pack beds, tray towers, spray towers, bubble columns, membranes, etc. In some implementations, the contact medium (also called the medium bed) may be made of a packing material that provides a liquid / gas interface for the transfer of moisture from the diluted liquid desiccant 14 to the regenerating flow 12 (or regenerating flow 12a). In some implementations, the contact medium may be made of, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, glass fiber, cellulose, or other suitable heat and mass transfer material and / or hygroscopic material. In some implementations, the contact medium may be any random and / or structured filler (e.g., a rusting ring, filler, etc.), cellulose, designed to evenly distribute the flow of liquid desiccant exposed to the airflow (e.g., supply airflow 10 or 10a). The filler material may be a fabric formed into a mat, cylinder, or other shape. In some embodiments, the concentrated liquid desiccant 15 may have a temperature and humidity ratio (measured at the liquid outlet port of the absorber 130 in kg of water per kg of flow, or in kg / kg) that approaches equilibrium with the regenerated flow 12 (or regenerated flow 12a) entering the desorber 130. In other embodiments, the concentrated liquid desiccant 15 may have a temperature and humidity ratio (measured at the liquid outlet port of the absorber 130) that approaches the temperature and humidity ratio of the regenerated flow 12 (or regenerated flow 12a) entering the desorber 130, within 2°C to 0.002 kg / kg. In other embodiments, the concentrated liquid desiccant 15 may have a temperature and water vapor pressure (measured at the liquid outlet port of the absorber 130) that approaches the temperature and humidity ratio of the regenerated flow 12 (or regenerated flow 12a) entering the desorber 130, at 5°C and within 0.005 kg / kg.

[0039] The heat exchanger 150 may be any suitable heat exchanger device and / or component configured to transfer heat to the regenerating stream 12 in order to generate the regenerating stream 12a. The heat exchanger 150 may include a condenser coil configured to heat the regenerating stream 12. The heated regenerating stream 12a then enters the desorber 130, heating the diluted liquid desiccant 14 and transferring moisture from the diluted liquid desiccant 14 to the heated regenerating stream 12a at the desorbing liquid / air interface. The heat exchanger 150 may be any useful heat source unit operation that provides heat to the desorber 130, such as electric heating, gas combustion heat, solar heat, geothermal heat, a condenser coil, and similar. In some embodiments, the regeneration flow 12a entering the desorber 130 to regenerate the liquid desiccant 14 may flow at a predetermined temperature of at least about 65°F, at least about 80°F, at least about 90°F, at least about 95°F, at least about 100°F, at least about 110°F, at least about 120°F, or at least about 130°F (including all values ​​and ranges therein). In some embodiments, the regeneration flow 12a entering the desorber 130 to regenerate the liquid desiccant 14 may flow at a predetermined temperature and / or predetermined humidity. For example, in some embodiments, the regenerated flow 12a entering the detachable device 130 may flow at a predetermined humidity (water content per kg of gas) of approximately 0.050 or less, approximately 0.040 or less, approximately 0.030 or less, approximately 0.025 or less, approximately 0.020 or less, approximately 0.015 or less, approximately 0.010 or less, or approximately 0.005 or less (including all values ​​and ranges in between).

[0040] The heat exchanger 160 may be any suitable heat exchanger device and / or component configured to transfer heat from the supply airflow 10 to generate a cooled supply airflow 10a. The heat exchanger 160 may be any useful heat sink unit operation that removes heat from the absorber 110. For example, the heat exchanger 160 may be a refrigerant-to-air condenser coil, a chilled water coil, an evaporative cooler, etc. The cooled supply airflow 10a may then enter the absorber 110 and be exposed to a flow of liquid desiccant, as described above.

[0041] Figure 2 shows a table illustrating the advantages of using low or ultra-low flow rates for desiccants. The first column of Figure 2 shows a typical ratio of the mass flow rate of air to the mass flow rate of desiccant, expressed in dimensionless units. The second column shows the liquid desiccant flow rate required for regeneration in mL / min, where flow rates below 2,000 mL / min may be considered low or ultra-low flow rates. The first advantage of using low or ultra-low flow rates is shown in the second and third columns of Figure 2. The desiccant must be transported to a relatively cold absorber used for moisture collection, thus transporting heat to the conditioned air (e.g., heat is transported to the process airflow). The resulting heat flow, expressed in watts, is shown in the second column, while the impact on system efficiency is shown in the third column. Heat is transported, and the resulting efficiency loss is much lower for low and ultra-low flow rate desiccant systems. The second advantage is summarized in the fourth and fifth columns of Figure 2. Regenerating a desiccant requires both an amount of air to absorb and transport the moisture rejected by the desiccant, and an amount of heat to heat both the air and the liquid desiccant. Column 4 shows the required airflow velocity at cubic feet per minute (CFM), while column 5 shows the heat required to complete the regeneration, assuming the air starts at, for example, 70 degrees Fahrenheit. This table clearly demonstrates the advantages of low-flow or ultra-low-flow desiccants, which require lower airflow and less heat. It is worth noting that many desiccant systems lack sufficient heat to regenerate under a variety of operating conditions, and low-flow and ultra-low-flow desiccant systems overcome this significant limitation. In some embodiments, the systems and devices described herein may be configured to flow an ultra-low flow rate of liquid desiccant to minimize the amount of heat required to regenerate the liquid desiccant to about 50 kW or less, about 40 kW or less, about 30 kW or less, about 20 kW or less, about 18 kW or less, about 16 kW or less, about 14 kW or less, about 12 kW or less, about 10 kW or less, about 8 kW or less, about 6 kW or less, about 4 kW or less, about 2 kW or less, 1 kW or less, or 0.5 kW or less (including all values ​​and ranges in between).In some embodiments, the systems and devices described herein may be configured such that the liquid desiccant loses heat through the process airflow (e.g., heat transfer to the supply airflow) to reduce the efficiency of the system by about 5% or less, about 4% or less, about 3% or less, about 2% or less, about 1% or less, about 0.8% or less, about 0.6% or less, about 0.4% or less, or about 0.2% or less (including all values ​​and ranges therein).

[0042] Figure 3 shows a schematic perspective view of a desorber 230 for the regeneration of a liquid desiccant according to one embodiment. The desorber 230 may be similar to the desorber 130 described above. For example, the desorber unit 230 may include a housing 231, a distributor component 240, and a contact medium (not shown in Figure 3), similar to the housing, distributor component 140, and contact medium described above with respect to the desorber 130 of the ultra-low flow rate LD system 100. The housing 231 of the desorber 230 may be an enclosure defining at least one internal volume and / or chamber for housing one or more components of the desorber 230. The housing 231 may be any suitable size and shape. For example, in some implementations, the housing 231 may be cylindrical in shape defined by length and circular cross-sectional area. In other configurations, the housing 231 may be a three-dimensional shape defined by its length and a suitable cross-sectional area, such as a square, ellipse, oblong, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, or any suitable polygonal shape. In some configurations, the housing 231 may be a shape selected to maximize the internal volume for housing and / or accommodating the distributor components, contact medium, and / or other components of the desiccant 230, while minimizing the footprint of the desiccant 230 (e.g., the external area and / or volume occupied by the desiccant 230). The housing 231 of the desiccant 230 may be made from any suitable material that has sufficient rigidity and resistance to degradation due to exposure to the flow of liquid desiccant and / or other types present during the preparation of the diluted liquid desiccant. For example, in some implementations, the housing of the detacher 230 may be made of, and / or include, metals, metal alloys, polymers, and / or composite materials, but are not limited to, iron, nickel cobalt, aluminum, steel, copper, chromium, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, poly(methyl methacrylate), glass fiber, and / or any other suitable material.In some implementations, the material forming the housing 231 may be coated with a protective coating (e.g., an anti-corrosion coating) to reduce undesirable degradation and / or corrosion, which may affect the structural integrity of the housing or cause leakage of liquid desiccants, contact media, and / or gas flows over time.

[0043] The distributor component 240 may be any suitable component configured to receive diluted liquid desiccant from the absorber and discharge, direct, flow, distribute, and / or distribute an ultra-low flow rate of the diluted liquid desiccant for regeneration into the contact medium of the desorber 230. Figure 3 shows the distributor component 240 arranged on the cross-sectional area of ​​the desorber 230. The distributor component 240 may include an inlet 241, a conduit 242, and a plurality of emitters 243 arranged along the conduit 242. The inlet 241 may be configured to receive the flow of liquid desiccant from the absorber. In some implementations, the inlet 241 may be connected to the housing 231, as shown in Figure 3. In other implementations, the inlet 241 may be located on the manifold of the desorber 230. Alternatively, in some implementations, the inlet 241 may be freestanding (e.g., not connected to and / or fixed to the manifold). The inlet 241 is fluidically connected to or in fluid communication with the conduit 242.

[0044] The conduit 242 of the distributor component 240 may be a tube, hose, duct, line, or pipe that can be used to receive and carry diluted liquid desiccant from the absorber. The conduit 242 may be made of any suitable material that has sufficient resistance to decomposition caused by exposure of the diluted liquid desiccant to one or more highly corrosive components. For example, in some implementations, the conduit may be made of and / or include metals, metal alloys, polymers, and / or composite materials, including but not limited to iron, nickel, cobalt, aluminum, steel, copper, chromium, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, poly(methyl methacrylate), glass fiber, etc. In some implementations, the conduit 242 may be coated with a protective coating to reduce undesirable degradation and / or corrosion (e.g., corrosion-resistant coating). In some implementations, the conduit 242 may be and / or include a flexible material (e.g., a material that can be bent and / or reshaped, such as a plastic housing or tube). In other implementations, the conduit 242 may be a rigid pipe and / or duct made of metal, polymer, metal oxide, and / or a combination thereof. The conduit 242 includes a single tube arranged along the cross-sectional area of ​​the desorber 230 according to any suitable pattern. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the conduit 242 may be arranged according to an "S-shaped" pattern distributed along the cross-sectional area of ​​the desorber 230. In other embodiments, the conduit may be arranged according to other suitable patterns, such as a spiral pattern, a corrugated pattern, or a concentric circle pattern. The conduit 242 includes a plurality of emitters 243 arranged in series along the length of the conduit 242. The emitters 243 may be arranged at a specific distance from the inlet 241 so that the emitters collectively distribute a low and / or very low flow rate of liquid desiccant to the contact medium in the desorber.

[0045] Figure 4 shows a schematic perspective view of a desorber 330 for the regeneration of a liquid desiccant according to one embodiment. Desorber 330 may be similar to desorber 130 and / or desorber 230 described above. For example, desorber 330 may include a housing 331, a distributor component 340, and a contact medium (not shown in Figure 4), similar to the housing, distributor component, and contact medium described above with respect to desorber 130 of the ultra-low flow rate LD system 100. Parts and / or embodiments of desorber 330 may be similar and / or substantially identical to parts and / or embodiments of desorber 130 described above with reference to Figure 1. Therefore, such similar parts and / or embodiments may not be described in further detail herein. Figure 4 shows that the distributor component 340 is arranged on the cross-sectional area of ​​desorber 330. The distributor component 340 includes an inlet 341, a conduit 342 (for example, a first conduit section 342a and a second conduit section 342b), and a plurality of emitters 343 disposed on the first conduit section 342a and the second conduit section 342b. The inlet 341 may be configured to receive a flow of liquid desiccant from the absorber. The inlet 341 is fluidically connected to or in fluid communication with the conduit 342.

[0046] The conduits 342 of the distributor component 340 may be a plurality of tubes, hoses, ducts, lines, or pipes that can be used to receive and carry diluted liquid desiccant from the absorber. The conduits 342 may be made of any suitable material that has sufficient resistance to decomposition caused by exposure of the diluted liquid desiccant to one or more highly corrosive components. For example, in some implementations, the conduits may be made of and / or include metals, metal alloys, polymers, and / or composite materials, including but not limited to iron, nickel, cobalt, aluminum, steel, copper, chromium, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, poly(methyl methacrylate), glass fiber, etc. The conduits 342 may include a plurality of tubes arranged in a parallel configuration. As shown in Figure 4, the conduits 342 may include a first conduit portion 342a and a second conduit portion 342b that are fluidly connected to the primary tube and / or line 342c. The first conduit section 342a and the second conduit section 342b may be arranged in a parallel configuration. In the parallel configuration, a fraction of the liquid desiccant flow received in the desiccant 330 is directed from the inlet 341 to the first conduit section 342a via the primary pipe 342c, and the remaining flow of the liquid desiccant received in the desiccant 330 is directed from the inlet 341 to the second conduit section 342b via the primary pipe 342c.

[0047] Figure 4 shows that the inlet 341 is connected to the primary pipe 342c such that the flow of desiccant received in the desiccant 340 is divided into a first portion and / or fraction and a second portion and / or fraction. The first fraction of the desiccant flow is directed by the primary pipe 342c to a first conduit portion 342a. The first conduit portion 342a includes a series of side tubes and / or lines that distribute the flow of liquid desiccant to the contact medium of the desiccant 330. Similarly, the remaining flow of liquid desiccant is directed by the primary pipe 342c to a second conduit portion 342b. The second conduit portion 342b includes a series of side tubes and / or lines that distribute the flow of liquid desiccant to the contact medium of the desiccant 330. As shown in Figure 4, the side tubes of the first conduit section 342a may be arranged substantially parallel to the side tubes of the second conduit section so that the side tubes collectively achieve an effective distribution of the liquid desiccant on the contact medium of the desiccant 330. In some embodiments, the conduit 342 may include a plurality of conduit sections fluidly connected to the primary pipe and / or line. In such embodiments, the plurality of conduit sections may be arranged in any suitable parallel and / or series configuration that enables the effective distribution of the liquid desiccant on the contact medium contained in the desiccant 330.

[0048] Figure 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an emitter 443 included in a distributor component 440 according to one embodiment. The emitter 443 may be connected to a conduit 442 configured to transport and / or direct a liquid desiccant received on the distributor component 440. The emitter 443 may be and / or include any suitable component configured to deliver a diluted liquid desiccant at low and / or very low flow rates, ensuring precise control over the diluted liquid desiccant over a considerable range of pressures, temperatures, and concentrations of one or more salts contained in the diluted liquid desiccant. For example, the emitter 443 may include one or more components such as a casing and / or shell 446, a drip orifice 444, a drip emitter 445, and a diverter module 447. The casing and / or shell 446 of the emitter 440 may be any suitable enclosure defining an internal volume and / or chamber for housing other components of the emitter 443. The casing and / or shell 446 of the emitter 443 may be of any suitable size and shape. For example, in some configurations, the casing 446 may be a three-dimensional shape defined by a substantially constant geometric cross-sectional area, as well as height and / or depth. The cross-sectional area may be any suitable two-dimensional geometric shape, including circles, ellipses, polygons, etc. Alternatively, the cross-sectional area may be an irregular shape. The casing 446 of the emitter (or emitter) 443 may be made from any suitable material having sufficient rigidity and resistance to decomposition due to exposure to any species present during the regeneration of the liquid desiccant and / or diluted liquid desiccant. For example, in some configurations, the casing 446 may be made from and / or include metals, metal alloys, polymers, and / or composite materials, including, but not limited to, iron, nickel-cobalt, aluminum, steel, copper, chromium, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, poly(methyl methacrylate), glass fiber, and / or any other suitable material. In some implementation configurations, the material forming the casing 446 may be coated with a protective coating to reduce undesirable degradation and / or corrosion (e.g., corrosion-resistant coating).In some implementation configurations, the emitter 443 may be located on the outer surface of the conduit 442, as shown in Figure 5.

[0049] The casing of emitter 443 may include at least one dripping orifice 444 and at least one dripping emitter 445. The dripping orifice 444 may be an opening, opening, hole, slot, vent, crack, gap, etc., located on a first part and / or surface of the casing of emitter 443. The dripping orifice 444 fluidly connects the conduit 442 to the emitter 443, so that the emitter 443 can receive diluted liquid desiccant into its casing 446. The dripping emitter 445 may be an opening, opening, hole, slot, vent, crack, gap, etc., located on a second part and / or surface of the casing of emitter 443, distinct from the first part. The dripping emitter 445 may be used to direct, flow, distribute, and / or distribute a precisely controlled flow of diluted liquid desiccant toward the contact medium in the desorber. The divertor module 447 can be any suitable component that provides a winding path for the diluted liquid desiccant from the conduit 442 to the contact medium in the desorber. The components of the emitter 443 (e.g., the drip orifice 444, the emitter orifice 445, and the divertor module 447) collectively provide a substantially constant flow rate and a relatively high pressure drop compared to the conduit 442, independent of the diluted liquid desiccant pressure, once a certain critical inlet pressure is achieved. Below the critical pressure, the flow rate increases proportionally to the inlet pressure. Above the critical pressure, the flow rate is substantially constant and independent of pressure.

[0050] Figure 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an emitter 543 included in a distributor component 540 according to one embodiment. The emitter 543 may be connected to a conduit 542 configured to transport and / or direct a liquid desiccant received on the distributor component 540. The emitter 543 may be and / or include any suitable component configured to deliver a diluted liquid desiccant at low and / or very low flow rates, ensuring precise control over the diluted liquid desiccant over a considerable range of pressures, temperatures, and concentrations of one or more salts contained in the diluted liquid desiccant. For example, the emitter 543 may include one or more components such as a casing and / or shell 546, a dropping orifice 544, a dropping emitter 545, and a labyrinthine pathway 548. The casing and / or shell 546 of the emitter 540 may be any suitable enclosure defining an internal volume and / or chamber for housing other components of the emitter 543. The casing and / or shell 546 of the emitter 543 may be of any suitable size and shape. For example, in some configurations, the casing 546 may be a three-dimensional shape defined by a substantially constant geometric cross-sectional area, as well as height and / or depth. The cross-sectional area may be any suitable two-dimensional geometric shape, including circles, ellipses, polygons, etc. Alternatively, the cross-sectional area may be an irregular shape. The casing 546 of the emitter (or emitter) 543 may be made from any suitable material having sufficient rigidity and resistance to decomposition due to exposure to any species present during the regeneration of the liquid desiccant and / or diluted liquid desiccant. For example, in some configurations, the casing 546 may be made from and / or include metals, metal alloys, polymers, and / or composite materials, including, but not limited to, iron, nickel-cobalt, aluminum, steel, copper, chromium, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, poly(methyl methacrylate), glass fiber, and / or any other suitable material. In some implementation configurations, the material forming the casing 546 may be coated with a protective coating to reduce undesirable degradation and / or corrosion (e.g., corrosion-resistant coating).

[0051] The casing of the emitter 543 may include at least one dripping orifice 544 and at least one dripping emitter 545. The dripping orifice 544 may be an opening, opening, hole, slot, vent, crack, gap, etc., located on a first part and / or surface of the casing of the emitter 543. The dripping orifice 544 fluidly connects the conduit 542 to the emitter 543, so that the emitter 543 can receive diluted liquid desiccant into its casing 546. The dripping emitter 545 may be an opening, opening, hole, slot, vent, crack, gap, etc., located on a second part and / or surface of the casing of the emitter 543, distinct from the first part. The dripping emitter 545 may be used to direct, flow, distribute, and / or distribute a precisely controlled flow of diluted liquid desiccant toward the contact medium in the desorber. The labyrinthine path 548 can be any suitable path that provides a winding path for the diluted liquid desiccant from the conduit 542 to the contact medium in the desorber. The components of the emitter 543 (e.g., the dropping orifice 544, the emitter orifice 545, and the labyrinthine path 548) collectively provide a substantially constant flow rate and a relatively high pressure drop compared to the conduit 542, independent of the diluted liquid desiccant pressure, once a certain critical inlet pressure is achieved. The labyrinthine path can be a complex path that folds back and forth, as shown in Figure 6, in some examples, or it can be as simple as a single straight line that is narrow enough to present the required pressure drop (e.g., a hole). Below the critical pressure, the flow rate increases proportionally to the inlet pressure. Above the critical pressure, the flow rate is substantially constant and independent of the pressure.

[0052] Figure 7 shows a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a series of emitters (643A), (643B), and (643C) arranged within a conduit 642 of a distributor component 640 for transporting liquid desiccant to a series of emitters. The desiccant is introduced into the conduit 642 at the inlet and / or inlet 641 and exits through the orifices of the series of emitters 643. The conduit 642 terminates after the series of such emitters 643 and thus forces all the desiccant out of the conduit 642 through the series of emitters (643A), (643B), and (643C).

[0053] Figure 8 shows a chart illustrating the regenerator's effectiveness versus the effective spacing density of emitters for typical flow rates and media bed designs. For each flow rate and media bed design, effectiveness decreases from the maximum possible effectiveness (i.e., effectiveness of 1.0) as the density decreases. Effectiveness also depends on the media bed design. Figure 8 shows curves generated for two exemplary media bed designs, where the first media bed, labeled "full height," is more effective than the second media bed, labeled "half height," at the same emitter spacing. The difference in effectiveness between the first and second media beds stems from differences in the media bed material, such as its hydrophilicity, the geometric shape of the media bed, and / or the length of the media bed in the direction of desiccant flow. Figure 8 also shows that the same media bed supports different effectiveness at different liquid desiccant flow rates. In some embodiments, the conduit may include an array of emitters arranged on the conduit, resulting in an emitter spacing density of at least about 0.5 emitters per square foot, at least about 1 emitter per square foot, at least about 2 emitters per square foot, at least about 3 emitters per square foot, at least about 4 emitters per square foot, at least about 5 emitters per square foot, at least about 6 emitters per square foot, at least about 7 emitters per square foot, at least about 8 emitters per square foot, at least about 9 emitters per square foot, at least about 10 emitters per square foot, at least about 12 emitters per square foot, or at least about 15 emitters per square foot, encompassing all values ​​and ranges between these. In some embodiments, the flow rate of the liquid desiccant in the desorber is selected to maximize the effectiveness of the desorber. For example, in some embodiments, the mass flow rate of the liquid desiccant may be selected such that the effectiveness of the desorber is at least about 40%, at least about 45%, at least about 50%, at least about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, or at least about 95% (including all values ​​and ranges in between).

[0054] Figure 9 shows the relationship between carryover, expressed as parts per trillion of mass flow rate, and airflow velocity at various desiccant flow rates. By reducing the airflow velocity, carryover can be reduced to an acceptable level. However, reducing the airflow velocity reduces the amount of process air that the system can handle, and therefore, the usefulness of the system can be maximized by selecting an appropriate desiccant flow rate. As the desiccant flow rate per emitter decreases, the amount of sputtering increases, causing an increase in carryover, as indicated by the low flow rate per emitter line. Carryover can be reduced by increasing the desiccant flow rate per emitter to a sufficient level. This rate per emitter can be increased to an acceptable level by either increasing the total desiccant flow rate or decreasing the number of emitters (i.e., decreasing the density of the emitter spacing). To maintain the total desiccant flow rate in low or very low regimes, this is best achieved in some instances by decreasing the number of emitters by increasing the spacing per emitter. However, if the number of emitters is too low, the flow rate of the desiccant per emitter increases, which can cause the desiccant to "spray," and when the spray collides with the media bed, droplets may form, increasing carryover as indicated by the high flow rate per emitter line.

[0055] Figure 10 schematically shows a cross-sectional side view of a portion of a detacher 730 according to one embodiment. Detacher 730 may be similar to detachers 130, 230, and / or detacher 330 described above. For example, detacher unit 730 may include a housing 731 and a distributor component comprising a conduit 742 having a plurality of emitters (not shown in Figure 10) and contact medium (also not shown in Figure 10), similar to the housing, distributor component, and contact medium described above with respect to detacher 130 of the ultra-low flow LD system 100. Parts and / or embodiments of detacher 730 may be similar and / or substantially identical to parts and / or embodiments of detacher 130 described above with reference to Figure 1. Thus, such similar parts and / or embodiments may not be described in further detail herein. Figure 10 illustrates a concept that reduces the possibility of carryover by "trenching" or embedding emitters in trenches 732 in the medium bed of detacher 730. One key concept of this embodiment is to minimize or eliminate the space between the emitter and the media bed so that the desiccant binds to the media bed without being trapped in the airflow as droplets or aerosols as the desiccant flows from the emitter. In other words, reducing or minimizing the space between the emitter and the media bed can increase or maximize the binding of the desiccant to the media bed, thereby reducing or minimizing the amount of desiccant that may be introduced into the airflow as droplets, aerosols, or similar substances.

[0056] Figure 11 schematically shows a cross-sectional side view of a portion of a detacher 830 according to one embodiment. Detacher 830 may be similar to detachers 130, 230, 330 and / or detacher 730 described above. For example, detacher unit 830 may include a housing 831, a distributor component with a conduit 842, and a contact medium (not shown in Figure 11), similar to the housing, distributor component, and contact medium described above with respect to detacher 130 of the ultra-low flow LD system 100. Parts and / or embodiments of detacher 830 may be similar and / or substantially identical to parts and / or embodiments of detacher 130 described above with reference to Figure 1. Therefore, such similar parts and / or embodiments may not be described in further detail herein. Figure 1 shows a concept of adding an upper medium floor 833 to an emitter embedded in a trench 832 to further reduce carryover. Enclosing the emitter in this manner has the effect of capturing any droplets or aerosols that may form during the transfer of the desiccant from the emitter to the media bed.

[0057] While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they are presented merely as examples and not as limitations. Although embodiments have been specifically shown and described, it should be understood that various modifications of form and detail are possible. Where the schematic diagrams and / or embodiments described above show specific components arranged in a particular orientation or position, the arrangement of components may be modified. While various embodiments have been described as having specific features and / or combinations of components, other embodiments are possible having any combination of features and / or components from any of the embodiments described above.

Claims

1. It is a device, A housing including an internal volume and a gas inlet port, wherein the gas inlet port is configured to receive a gas and direct the gas at a first mass flow rate across a medium bed disposed within the internal volume of the housing, A distributor component comprises, and the distributor component comprises, A conduit connected to the housing, wherein the conduit is configured to receive a liquid desiccant containing water and salt at a first salt concentration by weight, An array of emitters arranged along the conduit, each emitter from the array of emitters is configured to distribute the liquid desiccant to the medium bed at a second mass flow rate such that the liquid desiccant (1) moistens the medium bed and transfers water between the liquid desiccant and the gas, and (2) exits the housing through an outlet port. The apparatus wherein the first mass flow rate is selected such that the liquid desiccant at the outlet port is regenerated and contains the salt at a second salt concentration by weight, when the gas transfers water together with the liquid desiccant distributed at the second mass flow rate, and the second salt concentration is greater than the first salt concentration.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a detachable device configured to be operably incorporated into a liquid desiccant system, the liquid desiccant transfers heat to the supply airflow of the liquid desiccant system after it has exited the housing through the outlet port, and the second mass flow rate is selected such that the heat transferred to the supply airflow reduces the efficiency of the system by no more than about 1%.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first mass flow rate is at least about 20 times the second mass flow rate.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first mass flow rate is at least about 20 to about 80 times the second mass flow rate.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first mass flow rate is at least about 80 to about 150 times the second mass flow rate.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas is preheated before being received in the housing, and the second mass flow rate is selected such that the total heat required to preheat the gas and regenerate the liquid desiccant is sufficient to remove a desired amount of water from the desiccant.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first mass flow rate is at least about 20 times the second mass flow rate.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first mass flow rate is at least about 20 to about 80 times the second mass flow rate.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first mass flow rate is at least about 80 to about 150 times the second mass flow rate.

10. Each emitter from the aforementioned emitter array is A casing that defines the internal volume, An inlet orifice is disposed on the casing and configured to fluidly connect the conduit to the internal volume, An outlet orifice is disposed on the casing and configured to distribute the liquid desiccant to the media bed at the second mass flow rate, The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a winding path within the casing configured to direct the liquid desiccant at a low flow rate from the inlet orifice to the outlet orifice.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the pressure drop between the inlet orifice and the outlet orifice of each emitter from the array of emitters is at least equal to the pressure drop across the conduit.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the pressure drop between the inlet orifice and the outlet orifice of each emitter from the array of emitters is at least three times the pressure drop across the conduit.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the pressure drop between the inlet orifice and the outlet orifice of each emitter from the array of emitters is at least about 1 psi.

14. Each emitter from the aforementioned emitter array is A casing connected to the outer surface of the conduit, wherein the casing includes an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice, The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a flexible diaphragm disposed within the casing, wherein the flexible diaphragm is configured to transition between a first configuration in which the flexible diaphragm seals the outlet orifice and allows liquid desiccant to flow into the casing through the inlet orifice, and a second configuration in which the flexible diaphragm seals the inlet orifice and distributes the liquid desiccant to the media bed at a second mass flow rate through the outlet orifice.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure drop between the inlet orifice and the outlet orifice of each emitter from the array of emitters is at least equal to the pressure drop across the conduit.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the pressure drop between the inlet orifice and the outlet orifice of each emitter from the array of emitters is at least three times the pressure drop across the conduit.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the pressure drop between the inlet orifice and the outlet orifice of each emitter from the array of emitters is at least about 1 psi.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conduit is installed in a trench cut into the media bed to allow for a larger contact surface area between the emitter and the media bed.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the depth of the trench is at least half the diameter of the conduit.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the depth of the trench is at least equal to the diameter of the conduit.

21. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the depth of the trench is at least twice the diameter of the conduit.

22. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the conduit is in contact with the media bed.

23. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the distance between the conduit and the medium bed is approximately 1 / 10 or less of the diameter of the conduit.

24. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the distance between the conduit and the medium bed is approximately 1 / 4 or less of the diameter of the conduit.

25. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the distance between the conduit and the medium bed is approximately half or less of the diameter of the conduit.

26. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an additional piece of media bed is installed on top of the conduit.

27. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the density of the emitter array is selected to maximize the effectiveness of the media bed.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the density of the emitter array is at least about one emitter per square foot.

29. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the density of the emitter array is at least about 5 emitters per square foot.

30. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the density of the emitter array is at least about 7 emitters per square foot.

31. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dimensions and material of the detacher are selected to maximize the effectiveness of the detacher.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the material is selected to minimize the size of the detacher.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the material is cellulose or one of a part of a cellulosic material.

34. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the material is glass fiber.

35. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the material is a polymer.

36. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein at least one of the height or length of the detacher is selected to provide at least about 55% effectiveness.

37. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein at least one of the height or length of the detacher is selected to provide at least about 70% effectiveness.

38. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein at least one of the height or length of the detacher is selected to provide at least about 90% effectiveness.

39. A method for regenerating a liquid desiccant in a desiccant, the desiccant comprising a desiccant comprising a housing defining an internal volume and a distributor component comprising a conduit and an array of emitters disposed along the conduit, wherein the method is Directing a gas across a medium bed disposed within the internal volume of the housing at a first mass flow rate having a predetermined temperature and humidity, The liquid desiccant, wherein the liquid desiccant contains water and salt at a first salt concentration by weight, and the liquid desiccant is received in the conduit. The liquid desiccant is distributed to the media bed at a second mass flow rate through each emitter of the emitter array such that the liquid desiccant moistens the media bed and water is transferred from the liquid desiccant to the gas. The process includes, after the distribution, directing the liquid desiccant out of the housing through the outlet port, The method wherein the first mass flow rate is selected such that the liquid desiccant at the outlet port is regenerated and contains the salt at a second salt concentration by weight, when the water is transferred to the gas together with the liquid desiccant distributed at the second mass flow rate, and the second salt concentration is greater than the first salt concentration.

40. The method according to claim 39, wherein the predetermined temperature is at least about 65°F, and the predetermined humidity is a water content of about 0.0086 kg or less per 1 kg of gas.

41. The method according to claim 39, wherein the predetermined temperature is at least about 65°F, and the predetermined humidity is a water content of about 0.012 kg or less per kg of gas.

42. The method according to claim 39, wherein the predetermined temperature is at least about 80°F, and the predetermined humidity is a water content of about 0.0145 kg or less per kg of gas.

43. The method according to claim 39, wherein the predetermined temperature is at least about 80°F, and the predetermined humidity is a water content of about 0.020 kg or less per 1 kg of gas.

44. The method according to claim 39, wherein the predetermined temperature is at least about 100°F, and the predetermined humidity is a water content of about 0.0257 kg or less per 1 kg of gas.

45. The method according to claim 39, wherein the predetermined temperature is at least about 100°F, and the predetermined humidity is a water content of about 0.0347 kg or less per 1 kg of gas.

46. The method according to claim 39, wherein the predetermined temperature is at least about 130°F, and the predetermined humidity is a water content of about 0.0457 kg or less per 1 kg of gas.

47. The method according to claim 39, wherein the second salt concentration is at least 1% higher than the first salt concentration.

48. The method according to claim 39, wherein the second salt concentration is about 1% to about 3% higher than the first salt concentration.

49. The method according to claim 39, wherein the second salt concentration is about 3% to about 15% higher than the first salt concentration.

50. The method according to claim 39, wherein the temperature and humidity ratio of the liquid desiccant at the outlet port approaches equilibrium with the gas entering the desorber.

51. The method according to claim 39, wherein the temperature and humidity ratio of the liquid desiccant at the outlet port approaches within 2 degrees Celsius to 0.002 kg / kg relative to the gas entering the desorber.

52. The method according to claim 39, wherein the temperature and humidity ratio of the liquid desiccant at the outlet port approaches within 5 degrees Celsius to 0.005 kg / kg relative to the gas entering the desorber.

53. The method according to claim 39, wherein the amount of heat transported by the liquid desiccant into the process airflow within the absorber after exiting the housing through the outlet port is minimized by minimizing the second mass flow rate.

54. The method according to claim 53, wherein the amount of heat transported to the process airflow by the liquid desiccant is at least one of 2 kW or 2% of the cooling capacity of the system.

55. The method according to claim 53, wherein the amount of heat transported to the process airflow by the liquid desiccant is at least one of 1 kW or 1% of the cooling capacity of the system.

56. The method according to claim 53, wherein the amount of heat transported to the process airflow by the liquid desiccant is at least one of 500 W or 0.5% of the cooling capacity of the system.

57. The method according to claim 53, wherein the amount of heat transported to the process airflow by the liquid desiccant is at least one of 100 W or 0.1% of the cooling capacity of the system.

58. The method according to claim 39, wherein the amount of heat required to regenerate the liquid desiccant in the desiccant is minimized by minimizing the second mass flow rate.

59. The method according to claim 58, wherein the amount of heat required is approximately 20 kW or less.

60. The method according to claim 58, wherein the amount of heat required is approximately 17 kW or less.

61. The method according to claim 58, wherein the amount of heat required is approximately 9 kW or less.

62. The method according to claim 58, wherein the amount of heat required is approximately 2 kW or less.

63. The method according to claim 39, wherein the second mass flow rate is selected to maximize the effectiveness of the detacher.

64. The method according to claim 63, wherein the second mass flow rate is selected such that the effectiveness of the detacher is at least about 55%.

65. The method according to claim 63, wherein the second mass flow rate is selected such that the effectiveness of the detacher is at least about 70%.

66. The method according to claim 63, wherein the second mass flow rate is selected such that the effectiveness of the detacher is at least about 90%.

67. The method according to claim 39, wherein the second mass flow rate is selected to be a predetermined value that is sufficiently high to prevent sputtering and sufficiently low to prevent spraying, thereby preventing carryover of the liquid desiccant into the gas.

68. A desiccant is a desiccant, the desiccant includes a media bed and a distributor component, and the method for regenerating a liquid desiccant in the desiccant is, The aforementioned distributor component is configured to receive the liquid desiccant having a first salt concentration on a weight basis, Distributing the multiple flows of the liquid desiccant to the media bed at the mass flow rate of the liquid desiccant, When the liquid desiccant is distributed so that water is transferred from the liquid desiccant to the gas, a gas mass flow rate is provided across the media bed, where the gas mass flow rate is at least about 20 times the liquid desiccant mass flow rate. A method comprising collecting the liquid desiccant at the outlet port of the desiccant, wherein the liquid desiccant at the outlet port has a second salt concentration by weight, and the second salt concentration is greater than the first salt concentration.

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