High-performance dehumidification system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a high-performance dehumidification system and, more specifically, to a high-performance dehumidification system capable of effectively performing dehumidification of a greenhouse while using an adsorbent, reducing energy costs and operating costs, and recovering and recycling water generated in a dehumidification process while recovering waste heat to be recycled for cooling and heating. The high-performance dehumidification system according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: an adsorbent for adsorbing and desorbing moisture contained in the air; a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit formed to accommodate the adsorbent; and a heating unit for heating the adsorbent accommodated in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit, wherein the adsorbent is formed in a granular form and is composed of a plurality of adsorption grains accommodated in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit, and includes an adsorbent floating means for providing a lifting force for floating the adsorbent accommodated in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit.

Description

High-performance dehumidification system

[0001] The present invention relates to a high-performance dehumidification system, and more particularly, to a high-performance dehumidification system that can effectively perform a dehumidification function in a greenhouse while using an adsorbent, reduce energy costs and operating costs, and recover and recycle water generated during the dehumidification process while recovering waste heat and reusing it for heating and cooling.

[0002] In general, facility horticulture involves planting crops in cultivation areas set up inside greenhouses such as glasshouses or vinyl houses, and managing the environment to maintain ideal conditions for crop cultivation, such as temperature, humidity, and CO2, while carrying out the cultivation process.

[0003] Facility horticulture often incorporates various auxiliary facilities to control temperature, CO2 levels, and other factors. For example, greenhouses are equipped with heating and cooling systems and carbon dioxide supply systems to regulate temperature and CO2 levels.

[0004] As a heating and cooling device for a greenhouse, a 'glass greenhouse heating and cooling system' disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1707045 has been proposed, but this greenhouse heating and cooling system only controls the internal temperature and cannot control humidity. Therefore, it is common to control humidity by opening side windows or ceiling windows formed on the sides of the greenhouse.

[0005] However, these conventional greenhouse heating and cooling systems have the disadvantage of reducing the fertilization effect and increasing management costs because the CO2 applied to the greenhouse leaks out and is wasted when the side and ceiling windows are opened, and they have the disadvantage of not being able to accurately control humidity.

[0006] In addition, there is a limitation that it is easy to be infected with various pests and diseases due to pathogens contained in the outside air that enters the greenhouse during ventilation, which leads to increased pest control costs and deterioration in quality.

[0007] In addition, the conventional greenhouse heating and cooling system mentioned above has the disadvantage of causing the internal environment of the greenhouse to change rapidly according to the cold and hot external environment due to rapid elevation and opening of the ceiling window, which adversely affects the growth of crops, resulting in a decline in quality and an increase in the unit cost of crop cultivation due to an increase in heating and cooling costs due to energy loss.

[0008] Meanwhile, in addition to the problems described above, the reasons why improvement in dehumidification performance in conventional greenhouses is necessary are explained in more detail.

[0009] Greenhouses generate a large dehumidification load throughout the year, regardless of external humidity conditions, although this may vary somewhat depending on the type of crop, growth stage, and other conditions due to the transpiration of crops. The existing representative greenhouse dehumidification methods include lowering relative humidity through heating or, when the humidity of the outside air is low, ventilation through the introduction of outside air.

[0010] Typically, heating is used to lower relative humidity before ventilation. However, crop growth environments are significantly affected by temperature as well as humidity. Therefore, dehumidification through heating has several limitations, such as excessive temperature rise and adverse effects due to humidity control. In this case, heating is stopped and ventilation windows are opened to bring in outside air with low humidity. This type of dehumidification control is generally performed in the winter, but in the summer, the outside relative humidity is also very high and the temperature inside the greenhouse is maintained at a high level, so dehumidification through cooling is the only possible method.

[0011] Even if the humidity inside the greenhouse is controlled below the target level through heating and ventilation in the winter, the temperature inside the greenhouse drops rapidly due to the influx of cold outside air, so additional heating is required to restore the temperature conditions. Therefore, ventilation-based dehumidification has the disadvantage of causing a lot of energy consumption.

[0012] In cases where the humidity of the outside air is high, such as during the rainy season, it is difficult to expect the effect of dehumidification through ventilation, so it is necessary to rely on a means of lowering relative humidity through heating. However, this does not result in an appropriate level of dehumidification, which frequently causes damage from mold and microbial growth and increases energy costs.

[0013] In addition, the dehumidification method that lowers the absolute humidity in the air by removing moisture in the humid air through condensation requires the production of cold heat to supply the large latent heat of condensation of water (540 kcal / kg), so it requires a lot of energy to handle the very large greenhouse dehumidification load without ventilation, and there is a limitation that it is difficult to apply due to the high cost of cold heat production equipment (heat pump, etc.).

[0014] In addition, dehumidification methods using adsorbents, which can be considered another dehumidification method, such as a dehumidification system using a dehumidification rotor or a dehumidification reactor (packed bed) system, can be attempted, but greenhouses have a large dehumidification load throughout the year, regardless of external humidity conditions, depending on the type of crop, growth stage, etc., due to the transpiration of crops, so they have the disadvantage of not being applicable due to the limited dehumidification capacity of the adsorbent.

[0015] Meanwhile, as mentioned above, the heating dehumidification method, ventilation dehumidification method, condensation dehumidification method, and adsorbent dehumidification method applied to dehumidification all have limitations such as excessive energy costs and high maintenance costs.

[0016] Furthermore, greenhouse systems primarily rely on nutrient and water supplies, which release large amounts of moisture absorbed by crops through transpiration, increasing relative humidity. However, conventional dehumidification methods, such as ventilation, have the disadvantage of forcibly discharging moist air into the atmosphere and failing to recycle the moisture (water). In areas with limited water supply and facing water shortages due to climate change, the need to recover and reuse water resources released into the atmosphere is becoming increasingly important.

[0017] [Prior Art Literature]

[0018] [Patent Document]

[0019] (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-2264424 "Air Conditioning System for Greenhouses"

[0020] (Patent Document 2) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1707045 "Glass Greenhouse Heating and Cooling System"

[0021] (Patent Document 3) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1653413, "Next-Generation Eco-Friendly Air Conditioning System Based on the Concept of a Decoupled System."

[0022] The present invention has been proposed with the above in mind, and its purpose is to provide a high-performance dehumidification system that has a simple and concise structure while effectively performing a humidity control function.

[0023] Another object of the present invention is to provide a high-performance dehumidification system that can effectively perform dehumidification in a greenhouse while using an adsorbent and reduce energy and operating costs.

[0024] Another object of the present invention is to provide a high-performance dehumidification system that can recover and recycle water generated during the dehumidification process of air inside a greenhouse and simultaneously recover waste heat and recycle it for heating and cooling, etc.

[0025] In order to achieve the above object, a high-performance dehumidification system according to the present invention comprises: an adsorbent that adsorbs and desorbs moisture contained in air; a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit formed to accommodate the adsorbent; and a heating unit that heats the adsorbent accommodated in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit; wherein the adsorbent is formed in a granular form and is composed of a plurality of adsorbent particles accommodated in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit; and an adsorbent levitation means that provides a lifting force for levitating the adsorbent accommodated in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit.

[0026] A high-performance dehumidification system according to the present invention is characterized by including: an adsorbent formed of a plurality of adsorbent particles to adsorb and desorb moisture contained in air; a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit formed to receive and float the adsorbent; an adsorbent levitation means that provides a lifting force for levitating the adsorbent received in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit; a heating unit that heats the adsorbent received in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit; a transfer unit connected to transfer reaction air passing through the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit; and a recovery unit connected to the transfer unit and recovering heat and moisture contained in the reaction air passing through the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit.

[0027] The above recovery unit may be configured to include a recovery chamber unit connected to the transfer unit and in which heat recovery and moisture condensation occur; a heat exchange unit that performs heat exchange with heat contained in the reaction air flowing into the recovery chamber unit; a heat storage tank that stores the heat recovered by the heat exchange unit; and a condensation tank in which condensate generated in the recovery chamber unit is stored.

[0028] The above heat exchanger may be configured to include a heat exchanger including a heat absorption unit on one side of which is disposed in the recovery chamber and a heat dissipation unit on the other side of which is disposed in the heat storage tank.

[0029] The above-mentioned transport unit may be configured as a transport pipe connected to the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit so that the reaction air is discharged, and a transport fan for transporting the reaction air may be installed in the transport pipe.

[0030] The above adsorbent flotation means may be configured as a blower fan that discharges air drawn in through an air intake port through an air outlet port.

[0031] The above moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit may be configured to include a hollow reaction tube installed in the air discharge port of the adsorbent flotation means.

[0032] The above hollow reaction vessel may be configured as an upward-facing hollow reaction vessel installed upward so that a plurality of the above adsorption particles can float.

[0033] The above hollow reaction vessel may have anti-separation sections formed at the top and bottom to prevent the adsorption particles from leaking out.

[0034] The above hollow reaction cylinder may be configured in a bundle structure with a plurality of small hollow reaction cylinders having one side connected to the air outlet.

[0035] The above moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit may be configured to include a body installation member that is installed on the adsorbent float means and has a plurality of fitting holes formed into which the lower part of the small hollow reaction cylinder is inserted; a gap maintaining member that has a plurality of fitting holes formed into which the upper part of the small hollow reaction cylinder is inserted; and a separation prevention member that is installed on the upper and lower parts of the small hollow reaction cylinder.

[0036] A high-performance dehumidification system according to the present invention may further include a first humidity detection unit that detects the humidity of air flowing into the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit; a second humidity detection unit that detects the humidity of air discharged from the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit; and a control unit that applies a control signal to drive the heating unit when the reduction range of the humidity decreased while passing through the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit is smaller than a set range based on detection signals applied from the first humidity detection unit and the second humidity detection unit.

[0037] The high-performance dehumidification system according to the present invention may further include a swirl generator that forms turbulence in the air flowing into the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction section to improve the efficiency of adsorption and desorption reactions of moisture contained in the air.

[0038] The above heating unit may be composed of any one of an electric resistance heater that heats by electric resistance when power is supplied, an induction heater that performs heating by a magnetic field generated when power is supplied, and a high-temperature fluid heater that performs heating by supplying high-temperature liquid.

[0039] The above electric resistance heater may be configured to include a heating mesh structure that is installed on the air inlet side of the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit and is heated when power is supplied.

[0040] The above induction heater may be configured to include an induction coil installed in a coil installation section and generating a magnetic field when current is supplied, and a heat generating section that generates Joule heat due to eddy current loss by the magnetic field generated from the induction coil.

[0041] The above moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit may be formed partly or entirely of a metal material to perform the function of the heat generation unit.

[0042] The above high-temperature fluid heater may be configured to include a heating pipe through which high-temperature liquid heated by heat recovered from the recovery unit circulates.

[0043] The high-performance dehumidification system according to the present invention may further include a backflow prevention means installed between the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit and the transfer unit to prevent the reaction air discharged from the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit to flow back to the transfer unit.

[0044] A ventilation control damper can be installed in the above-mentioned transport section so that air inside the greenhouse flows directly without passing through the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction section.

[0045] According to the high-performance dehumidification system of the present invention, by applying the adsorption and desorption process of the floating type of adsorbent granules, the contact area between the moist air and the adsorbent material is maximized, and the heat and mass transfer reaction is promoted by the strong turbulent flow around the floating individual adsorbents, while the heat energy supplied for adsorption and desorption can be recovered and recycled so as not to have a negative effect on the greenhouse thermal environment. Therefore, the high-performance dehumidification system of the present invention forms a floating reaction condition inside the moisture adsorption and desorption reaction section through the turbulent flow, thereby significantly improving the adsorption and desorption reaction rate, thereby shortening the dehumidification treatment time and improving the dehumidification performance (capacity), thereby having the effect of minimizing the environment that can have a negative effect on growth, such as a decline in crop quality and a decrease in productivity, which can be caused by condensation and the spread of mold due to excessive humidity conditions in the greenhouse.

[0046] In addition, the high-performance dehumidification system according to the present invention can reduce the enormous energy cost required to treat the greenhouse dehumidification load by recovering and utilizing the reaction heat (or input energy) during the adsorption and desorption reaction process without discarding it, and can simultaneously remove moisture in the greenhouse and condense and recover the removed moisture to recycle it as water for producing nutrient solutions or supplying crops, thereby solving the problem of water resource shortage.

[0047] In addition, the high-performance dehumidification system according to the present invention can remove microorganisms and molds contained in moist air by heating the air to a high temperature required for desorption during the desorption reaction, thereby having the effect of significantly reducing the frequency or possibility of disease occurrence in a greenhouse.

[0048] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a high-performance dehumidification system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the main part of Figure 1.

[0050] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the main components of a high-performance dehumidification system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit of a high-performance dehumidification system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating another form of a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit of a high-performance dehumidification system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 6 is a drawing for explaining the operation of a high-performance dehumidification system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the main components of a high-performance dehumidification system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit of a high-performance dehumidification system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view showing a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit of a high-performance dehumidification system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, and identical or similar components will be described with the same reference numbers.

[0058] Meanwhile, detailed descriptions of the components, functions, and effects of each drawing, which can be easily understood by those skilled in the art from general techniques, are briefly or omitted. Furthermore, since the present invention is characterized by a high-performance dehumidification system, the relevant parts are primarily illustrated and described, and the description of the remaining parts is simplified or omitted.

[0059] The attached drawings, Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a high-performance dehumidification system according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the main part of Fig. 1, which is an enlarged view of part A of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the main part of the high-performance dehumidification system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and schematically shows a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2), a heating unit (3), and an adsorbent levitation means (4). Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit of a high-performance dehumidification system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a high-performance dehumidification system according to one embodiment of the present invention has a simple and concise structure, is configured to perform an effective dehumidification operation while using an adsorbent, and is configured to reduce energy costs and operating costs, and comprises an adsorbent (1), a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2), a heating unit (3), and an adsorbent floatation means (4).

[0061] And, a high-performance dehumidification system according to one embodiment of the present invention further comprises a transport unit (5) and a recovery unit (6) so that moisture (water) can be recovered and recycled while performing a dehumidifying operation on the air inside a greenhouse (g) using an adsorbent and then resupplying it back into the greenhouse (g) or discharging it to the outside, and waste heat can be recovered and used for purposes such as heating and cooling, and a control unit (not shown) for controlling the operation of the heating unit (3), the adsorbent levitation means (4), the transport unit (5) and the recovery unit (6).

[0062] The adsorbent (1) performs the function of adsorbing moisture contained in the air, and is composed of adsorbent granules formed into granules. The adsorbent granules formed in this way can be introduced in various quantities according to the shape or volume of the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2), but it is preferable to introduce an amount such that the adsorbent granules can float while being spaced apart from each other when the adsorbent flotation means (4) operates. Here, the adsorbent can be selected and applied from among well-known adsorbents such as zeolite and silica gel.

[0063] The moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) is a component that performs the function of a reaction space where moisture adsorption and desorption occur while the adsorbent (1) is received and floats, and is composed of a hollow reaction cylinder (21) installed at the air outlet of the adsorbent floatation means (4).

[0064] In addition, it is important that the hollow reaction vessel (21) be configured as a duct-like tube and be structured so that a large number of adsorbent particles can float upwards relative to the ground. In the present embodiment, it is installed in a form perpendicular to the ground, and with such a structure perpendicular to the ground, even if a large number of adsorbent particles are injected, they do not gather in one place when the adsorbent floatation means (4) operates, but rather float evenly, thereby effectively performing the moisture adsorption and desorption reactions.

[0065] And the hollow reaction cylinder (21) has a separation prevention section (24) formed at the top and bottom to prevent the adsorption particles from leaking out.

[0066] For example, the detachment prevention unit (24) may be composed of a mesh net having ventilation holes smaller than the diameter of the adsorption particles. The detachment prevention unit (24) may be composed of a structure in which a mesh net (242) is combined with a circular mesh case (241) as illustrated in FIG. 4, but is not limited thereto.

[0067] The adsorbent flotation means (4) is a component that provides flotation force for flotation of the adsorbent contained in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2), and is composed of a blower fan that discharges air introduced through the air intake port (42) to the air outlet port (44).

[0068] The blower fan is equipped with a fan body (41) having an air intake port (42) and an air exhaust port (44) formed therein and a space provided therein, a blade (43) installed in the space inside the fan body (41), and a fan motor (not shown) that rotates the blade. Since a known blower fan can be selected and applied, a specific drawing or description is omitted.

[0069] The heating unit (3) is a component that heats the adsorbent (1) accommodated in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2). There is no need to increase the temperature of the incoming air during the adsorption process to lower the humidity of the air. However, when the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent becomes saturated due to continuous adsorption reaction and a moisture desorption process is to be performed to regenerate the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent, it is configured to perform a heating operation.

[0070] It is preferable that the heating unit (3) be installed between the air outlet (44) of the blower fan and the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2), but it is not limited thereto and can be installed in various locations as long as the adsorbent can be heated.

[0071] Here, the heating unit (3) is heated to an appropriate temperature according to the temperature conditions under which desorption occurs depending on the type of adsorbent. For example, the heating unit can be heated to a temperature range of 100 to 150°C, taking into account the moisture desorption reaction temperature of a typical adsorbent.

[0072] Meanwhile, the heating unit (3) may be composed of an electric resistance heater (31) that heats by electric resistance when power is supplied, an induction heater (not shown) that performs heating by a magnetic field generated when power is supplied, and a high-temperature fluid heater (not shown) that performs heating by supplying high-temperature liquid.

[0073] The above electric resistance heater (31) may be installed on the air inlet side of the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit as shown in FIG. 3 and may be configured as a heating mesh structure that is heated when power is supplied.

[0074] The above induction heater (not shown) can be assembled by configuring it to fit the structure of the blower fan and the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit, similarly to the well-known induction heater. For example, the induction heater can be configured to include an induction coil (not shown) that is installed in a plate-shaped coil installation unit and generates a magnetic field when current is supplied, and a heat generating unit (not shown) that generates Joule heat due to eddy current loss by the magnetic field generated from the induction coil. Here, the heat generating unit can be formed in a plate shape and installed on the inner side of the air outlet of the fan body of the blower fan. Here, the heat generating unit can be combined with a heat sink for more effective heat dissipation. The heat sink performs a temperature raising action through a heat exchange process with the air flowing to the air outlet using the heat transferred from the heat dissipation unit.

[0075] In addition, the induction heater (not shown) can be configured by arranging the coil installation section where the induction coil is placed on the lower outside of the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction section, and forming part or all of the hollow reaction body with a metal material so that the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction section performs the function of the heat generation section described above.

[0076] The above high-temperature fluid heater (not shown) may be configured as a heating pipe (not shown) through which high-temperature liquid heated by heat recovered from a recovery unit (6) circulates. For example, the heating pipe may be arranged in a form wound around a hollow reaction vessel (21), and may be configured to be connected to a hot water supply pipe (65) that is connected to a heat storage tank (63) described later so that hot water can be supplied to the heating pipe. In addition, a pump (66) for circulating hot water may be installed in the hot water supply pipe (65).

[0077] The transfer section (5) is a passage connected to transfer the reaction air passing through the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction section (2) to the inside or outside of the greenhouse (g), and is composed of a transfer pipe (51) connected to the discharge end of the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction section (2) through which the reaction air is discharged.

[0078] The above-mentioned transfer pipe (51) may be configured as a duct, and a transfer fan (52) for transferring reaction air is installed. Here, the transfer fan is configured as a known blower fan, and its installation position can be configured by moving it forward or backward as needed.

[0079] Meanwhile, the recovery unit (6) is a component that is connected to the transfer unit (5) and recovers heat and moisture contained in the reaction air passing through the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2). As long as the heat and moisture contained in the reaction air can be recovered and recycled, it can be configured in various ways without any special restrictions on the structure.

[0080] For example, the recovery unit (6) is connected to the transfer unit (5) and includes a recovery chamber unit (61) in which heat recovery and moisture condensation are performed, a heat exchange unit (62) in which heat exchange is performed with the heat contained in the reaction air flowing into the recovery chamber unit (61), a heat storage tank (63) in which heat recovered by the heat exchange unit (62) is stored, and a condensation tank (64) in which condensate generated in the recovery chamber unit (61) is stored.

[0081] The above heat exchange unit (62) can apply various heat exchange means such as a heat pump, but Fig. 1 shows a structure having a heat absorption unit (621) arranged on one side in the recovery chamber unit (61) and a heat dissipation unit (621) arranged on the other side in the heat storage tank (63).

[0082] In addition, a hot water supply pipe (65) is installed in the storage tank (63) to supply hot water to the heating unit (g1) provided in the greenhouse (g) or to supply hot water when a heating pipe is installed and applied as the heating unit (3). A pump (66) for pumping hot water and a hot water path control valve (67) are installed in the hot water supply pipe (65).

[0083] In the condensation tank (64), a condensation pipe (68) is installed to supply the collected condensate to a nutrient solution tank (69), etc., so that it can be used as water for nutrient solution production.

[0084] Meanwhile, a high-performance dehumidification system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a first humidity detection unit (not shown) configured with a humidity sensor to detect the humidity of air flowing into a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2), and a second humidity detection unit (not shown) configured with a humidity sensor to detect the humidity of air discharged from the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2).

[0085] The control unit (not shown) is configured to apply a control signal to operate the heating unit (3) when the decrease range of the humidity dehumidified in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) is smaller than a set range based on the humidity detected by the detection signals from the first humidity detection unit and the second humidity detection unit. For example, the control unit compares the humidity detected by the second humidity detection unit with the humidity detected by the first humidity detection unit, and when the moisture removal rate is not within the set range, determines that the adsorbent is oversaturated with moisture, and controls the heating unit (3) to operate so that the moisture desorption reaction proceeds.

[0086] And the control unit is configured to reduce energy consumption by implementing a program that performs variable flow control of the blower according to changes in the dehumidification load inside the greenhouse based on a detection signal received from a humidity sensor installed in the greenhouse or the first and second humidity detection units.

[0087] And, as illustrated in the attached drawing 1, a backflow prevention means (95) such as a check valve is installed between the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) and the transfer unit (5) to prevent the reaction air discharged from the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) to the transfer unit (5) from flowing backward. This backflow prevention means (95) prevents the reaction air from flowing backward, thereby enabling the dehumidifying operation to be stably performed. In particular, the backflow prevention means (95) can ensure the stability of the dehumidifying system operation by preventing the reaction air from flowing backward to the non-operating moisture adsorption / desorption reaction units (2) when only some of the plurality of moisture adsorption / desorption reaction units (2) are operating due to low humidity inside the greenhouse.

[0088] In addition, as illustrated in the attached drawing 1, a ventilation control damper (96) is configured in the transport section (5) so that the air inside the greenhouse is introduced directly without passing through the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction section (2). The ventilation control damper (96) can be used for the purpose of opening for ventilation in an emergency, or for the purpose of lowering the internal air temperature by recovering waste heat via the recovery section (6) when dehumidification is not necessary but the air inside the greenhouse rises to an excessively high temperature due to solar radiation energy, etc.

[0089] The attached drawing, FIG. 5, is a schematic diagram for explaining another form of a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit of a high-performance dehumidification system according to one embodiment of the present invention, and illustrates a swirl generator added in a simplified manner.

[0090] Referring to Figure 5, the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) may further include a swirl generator (8) to improve the efficiency of the adsorption and desorption reactions of moisture contained in the air.

[0091] The swirl generator (8) can be configured in various ways without any particular restrictions on shape or structure as long as it can form turbulence. For example, it can be configured by forming a spiral blade at the bottom of the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) or by installing a known swirl generator.

[0092] This swirl generator (8) has the characteristic of improving the adsorption reaction rate by forming turbulence in the air flowing into the moisture adsorption-desorption reaction unit (2), so that the adsorption heat generated by moisture adsorption is quickly transported and removed through the upper part of the moisture adsorption-desorption reaction unit by strong turbulent flow. To explain further, since the adsorption reaction of the adsorbent is an exothermic reaction, the reaction rate is improved when the surrounding temperature is quickly lowered through turbulence, but in the case of conventional technologies (e.g., Packed Bed where a sealed and pressurized method is applied, etc.), the heat of adsorption reaction remains inside the reactor due to the sealed structure during the adsorption reaction, which inevitably causes the internal temperature to rise, which has the disadvantage of lowering the final adsorption reaction rate.

[0093] And, even in the case of the desorption process, the air containing moisture desorbed from the adsorbent particles moves quickly upward and is discharged due to the active desorption reaction caused by the strong turbulent flow inside the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction section (2) and the inflow of air at a temperature sufficient for the desorption reaction while passing through the heating section (3), thereby preventing a decrease in the desorption efficiency due to re-adsorption.

[0094] And, the unexplained symbol 92 of Fig. 1 is an inlet duct for introducing the reaction air with controlled humidity into the greenhouse while passing through the recovery chamber (61) after being discharged through the transfer unit (5), 93 is an exhaust duct for discharging the reaction air to the outside, and 91 is an air flow control damper for controlling the direction of movement of the reaction air.

[0095] Meanwhile, a high-performance dehumidification system according to one embodiment of the present invention is configured with an input unit (not shown) for inputting desired humidity or temperature of a greenhouse, and a display unit (not shown) for displaying humidity or temperature of the greenhouse.

[0096] The attached drawing 6 is a drawing for explaining the operation of a high-performance dehumidification system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0097] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, the operation of a high-performance dehumidification system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be briefly described below.

[0098] First, a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2), a heating unit (3), and an adsorbent floatation means (4) are assembled in a predetermined order, and a number of adsorbent granules are injected into the interior of the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2), and then installed in a greenhouse. At the same time, a transport unit (5) and a recovery unit (6) are installed to form a high-performance dehumidification system in the form shown in Fig. 1.

[0099] When crops are planted in a greenhouse (g) equipped with a high-performance dehumidification system and the cultivation process is carried out while supplying nutrients and water, the moisture absorbed by the crops is released in large quantities through transpiration, causing the relative humidity in the greenhouse to increase and go beyond the appropriate range, so humidity control becomes necessary.

[0100] In this way, if humidity control is required, one can try lowering the relative humidity through heating or opening a ventilation window, but as mentioned above, the heating method has the disadvantage of causing excessive energy cost increase and adversely affecting crop growth due to temperature increase, and the ventilation window opening method causes adverse effects such as a decrease in the fertilization effect of carbon dioxide and the occurrence of pests and diseases, but this can be easily solved through the operation of the high-performance dehumidification system according to the present invention as follows.

[0101] When the humidity of the greenhouse (g) detected by a detection signal from a humidity sensor (not shown) installed in the greenhouse exceeds a set range, an adsorption reaction is performed in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) to perform an adsorption process to remove moisture.

[0102] To explain more specifically, when the blower (4), which is the adsorbent levitation means, is operated under the control of the control unit, the air inside the greenhouse is sucked in and blown out to the air outlet (44), and by this blowing force, the adsorbent particles, which were in a stationary state and accommodated in the lower part of the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) as shown in (a) of FIG. 6, rise up as shown in (b) of FIG. 6. Subsequently, the adsorbent particles actively float inside the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) as shown in (c) of FIG. 6 according to the equilibrium state between the upward force (lift force) generated by the flow and the adsorbent's own weight (force due to gravity).

[0103] At this time, each adsorbent particle has the characteristic of improving the reaction rate between the moist air and the adsorbent surface due to the flow separation that occurs at the rear end under the turbulent flow conditions formed by the blowing air, and the heat and mass transfer rate is greatly improved due to the mutual momentum exchange such as proximity, collision, and separation after collision between a large number of adsorbent particles, so that the adsorption reaction is performed effectively. In other words, compared to existing technologies such as the stationary type (packed bed) or the dehumidifying rotor method exposed to moist air and limited relative velocity conditions, there is an advantage in that the adsorption reaction is actively performed inside the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) by suspending the adsorbent particles in the rising air current of moist air.

[0104] In this way, the air from which moisture has been removed by the adsorption reaction of the adsorbent particles inside the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) is moved along the conveyance unit (5) connected to the upper portion of the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) and then re-supplied into the greenhouse (g) through the inlet duct (91) or discharged to the outside through the exhaust duct (93) according to the opening / closing operation of the air flow control damper (91). In this way, if the process of re-supplying the reaction air through the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) into the greenhouse (g) is performed for a certain period of time, the humidity inside the greenhouse can be controlled to become the set humidity.

[0105] Meanwhile, in the process of removing moisture through the adsorption reaction of the adsorbent particles accommodated in the aforementioned moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2), when the adsorbent particles become supersaturated and no more moisture can be removed, the heating unit (3) is operated to relieve the supersaturation of the adsorbent particles through the desorption reaction of moisture, and then the adsorption reaction of the adsorbent particles is repeated to remove moisture.

[0106] For example, the control unit compares the humidity detected by the second humidity detection unit (humidity after adsorption reaction) with the humidity detected by the first humidity detection unit (humidity before adsorption reaction), and if the moisture removal rate is not within the set range, the control unit determines that the adsorbent is oversaturated with moisture, and controls the heating unit (3) to operate to perform a desorption process for a moisture desorption reaction.

[0107] The desorption process is a process of regenerating the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent inside the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) by switching the control to the desorption reaction when the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent is saturated through the adsorption reaction process, and therefore dehumidification is not performed. The heating unit (3) is operated to heat the temperature of the incoming air to a temperature level suitable for desorption of the adsorbent. At this time, if the adsorbent is silica gel, the temperature of the incoming air is made higher than 100°C, and if it is zeolite, the temperature is heated to be higher than 120°C.

[0108] In this way, the inflow air that has passed through the heating section (3) and has been raised to a temperature at which the saturated adsorbent can be desorbed has the advantage of greatly improving the desorption reaction rate due to the active mixing and reaction time provided based on turbulent flow as in the adsorption process, and the desorbed moisture is quickly discharged from the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction section (2) so that re-adsorption can be minimized and supplied to the recovery section (6) via the transfer section (5). To elaborate, even in the case of the desorption process, the air containing moisture desorbed from the adsorbent particles quickly moves upward and is discharged due to the active desorption reaction caused by the strong turbulent flow inside the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction section (2) and the inflow of air at a temperature sufficient for the desorption reaction while passing through the heating section (3), thereby preventing a decrease in the desorption efficiency due to re-adsorption.

[0109] Meanwhile, when the reaction air discharged from the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) flows into the recovery unit (6) via the transfer unit (5), the heat contained in the reaction air is recovered by the heat exchange action of the heat exchange unit (62) and stored in the heat storage tank (63), and the condensate generated during the heat exchange process is stored in the condensation tank (64). The reaction air that has undergone the heat exchange process in the recovery chamber unit (61) is resupplied into the greenhouse (g) through the inlet duct (91) or discharged to the outside through the discharge duct (93) according to the opening / closing operation of the air flow control damper (91).

[0110] And the hot water stored in the storage tank (63) can be supplied to the heating unit (g1) equipped in the greenhouse (g) for heating, or can be used as hot water for heating the heating pipe applied to the aforementioned heating unit (3). And, the condensed water collected in the condensation tank (64) can be used as water for producing nutrient solutions or as water supplied to crops.

[0111] Hereinafter, other embodiments according to the present invention will be described. Detailed descriptions of components similar to those shown in the aforementioned embodiment will be omitted, and descriptions will be focused on components with differences. Furthermore, in the following other embodiments, any structure that can be employed among the components shown in the aforementioned embodiment or those shown in different embodiments may be selectively applied, and thus detailed descriptions or drawings thereof will be omitted.

[0112] Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram for explaining the main parts of a high-performance dehumidification system according to another embodiment of the present invention, and is a simplified diagram showing a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2'), a heating unit (3), and an adsorbent floatation means (4). Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit of a high-performance dehumidification system according to another embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit of a high-performance dehumidification system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0113] Referring to FIGS. 7 to 9, a high-performance dehumidification system according to a second embodiment of the present invention comprises an adsorbent (1), a moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2'), a heating unit (3), an adsorbent floatation means (4), a transport unit (5), a recovery unit (6), and a control unit (not shown), wherein the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2') is configured so that adsorption and desorption reactions are performed more effectively.

[0114] The moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2') is equipped with a hollow reaction cylinder installed in the air discharge port (44) of the adsorbent flotation means (4), but is not composed of a single hollow reaction cylinder, but rather is composed of a plurality of small hollow reaction cylinders (22) having a relatively small outer diameter in a bundle structure.

[0115] And the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2') is installed on the adsorbent float means (4) and is provided with a body installation member (25) having a plurality of fitting holes (251) formed into which the lower part of a small hollow reaction cylinder (22) is inserted, a gap-maintaining member (26) having a plurality of fitting holes (261) formed into which the upper part of the small hollow reaction cylinder (22) is inserted, and a separation prevention member (27) installed at the upper and lower parts of the small hollow reaction cylinder (22).

[0116] The detachment prevention unit (27) is composed of a mesh case (271) fitted into a small hollow reaction cylinder (22), and a mesh net (272) installed in the mesh case and having a ventilation hole smaller than the diameter of the adsorption particles.

[0117] And the adsorbent (1), moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2), heating unit (3), adsorbent floatation means (4), transport unit (5), recovery unit (6), and control unit (not shown) are identical to those of the above-described embodiment, so a detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0118] Meanwhile, the operation of a high-performance dehumidification system according to another embodiment of the present invention is also similar to that of the above-described embodiment, so it will be briefly described.

[0119] In a high-performance dehumidification system according to another embodiment of the present invention, since the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit (2) is composed of a plurality of small hollow reaction cylinders, when a specific number of adsorption particles is injected into each small hollow reaction cylinder, the adsorption particles are evenly inserted per unit volume to evenly float, thereby effectively performing moisture adsorption and desorption, thereby further improving the dehumidification efficiency.

[0120] The terms "include," "comprise," or "have" described above, unless otherwise specifically stated, imply that the corresponding component may be present, and therefore should be interpreted to include other components rather than excluding them. All terms, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, unless otherwise defined. Commonly used terms, such as terms defined in dictionaries, should be interpreted to be consistent with the contextual meaning of the relevant technology, and shall not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense, unless explicitly defined herein.

[0121] Although the configuration and operation of the high-performance dehumidification system according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this is exemplary, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that some of the above-described embodiments can be substituted and modified without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention.

[0122] Therefore, it should be understood that the scope of protection of the present invention extends to the invention described in the patent claims and equivalents thereof.

[0123] The present invention relates to a high-performance dehumidification system that can effectively perform a dehumidification function in a greenhouse while using an adsorbent, reduce energy costs and operating costs, and recover and recycle water generated in the dehumidification process while recovering waste heat and reusing it for heating and cooling. The system can be applied as a dehumidification system to various facilities requiring dehumidification in addition to greenhouses for growing plants, and can recover and recycle water and waste heat along with the dehumidification function.

Claims

1. In the dehumidification system, An adsorbent that absorbs and desorbs moisture contained in the air; A moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit formed to accommodate the above adsorbent; and It includes a heating unit that heats the adsorbent contained in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit; The above adsorbent is formed in the form of granules and is composed of a plurality of adsorbent granules accommodated in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit. A high-performance dehumidification system characterized by including an adsorbent flotation means that provides a rising force for the flotation of the adsorbent accommodated in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit.

2. In the dehumidification system, An adsorbent formed of a plurality of adsorbent particles to adsorb and desorb moisture contained in the air; A moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit formed so that the above adsorbent is received and floated; An adsorbent flotation means that provides a rising force for the adsorbent contained in the above moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit; A heating unit for heating the adsorbent contained in the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit; A transfer unit connected to transfer the reaction air passing through the above moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit; and A high-performance dehumidification system characterized by including a recovery unit that is connected to the above-mentioned transfer unit and recovers heat and moisture contained in the reaction air passing through the above-mentioned moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit.

3. In paragraph 2, The above recovery unit, A recovery chamber section connected to the above-mentioned transfer section and in which heat recovery and moisture condensation are performed; A heat exchange unit that performs heat exchange with the heat contained in the reaction air flowing into the recovery chamber unit; A heat storage tank that stores the heat recovered by the heat exchanger; and A high-performance dehumidification system characterized by including a condensation tank in which condensate generated in the above recovery chamber is stored.

4. In paragraph 3, A high-performance dehumidification system characterized in that the heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger including a heat absorber disposed on one side of the recovery chamber and a heat dissipation unit disposed on the other side of the heat storage tank.

5. In paragraph 3, The above transport unit is composed of a transport pipe connected to the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit so that the reaction air is discharged, A high-performance dehumidification system characterized in that a transfer fan for transferring the reaction air is installed in the above transfer pipe.

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 5, The above adsorbent flotation means is composed of a blower fan that discharges air drawn in through an air intake port to an air outlet port. A high-performance dehumidification system characterized in that the above moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit includes a hollow reaction cylinder installed in the air discharge port of the above adsorbent floatation means.

7. In paragraph 6, A high-performance dehumidification system characterized in that the hollow reaction vessel is configured as an upward-facing hollow reaction vessel installed upward so that a plurality of the above adsorption particles can float.

8. In paragraph 7, A high-performance dehumidification system characterized in that the hollow reaction vessel has anti-separation parts formed at the top and bottom to prevent external leakage of the adsorption particles.

9. In paragraph 6, A high-performance dehumidification system characterized in that the hollow reaction vessel is configured in a bundle structure of a plurality of small hollow reaction vessels, one side of which is connected to the air outlet.

10. In paragraph 9, The above moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit is, A cylinder installation member installed in the above adsorbent buoyancy means and having a plurality of fitting holes into which the lower part of the small hollow reaction cylinder is inserted; A gap-maintaining member having a plurality of insertion holes formed into which the upper part of the small hollow reaction cylinder is inserted; and A high-performance dehumidification system characterized by including a separation prevention unit installed at the upper and lower portions of the small hollow reactor body.

11. In paragraph 6, A first humidity detection unit that detects the humidity of air flowing into the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit; A second humidity detection unit that detects the humidity of air discharged from the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit; and A high-performance dehumidification system characterized by including a control unit that applies a control signal to operate the heating unit when the reduction range of the humidity reduced through the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit is smaller than a set range by the detection signal applied from the first humidity detection unit and the second humidity detection unit.

12. In paragraph 6, A high-performance dehumidification system characterized in that a swirl generator is further configured to form turbulence in the air flowing into the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction section to improve the efficiency of adsorption and desorption reactions of moisture contained in the air.

13. In paragraph 6, A high-performance dehumidification system characterized in that the heating unit is composed of any one of an electric resistance heater that heats by electric resistance when power is supplied, an induction heater that performs heating by a magnetic field generated when power is supplied, and a high-temperature fluid heater that performs heating by supplying high-temperature liquid.

14. In paragraph 13, A high-performance dehumidification system characterized in that the electric resistance heater is installed on the air inlet side of the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit and includes a heating mesh structure that is heated when power is supplied.

15. In paragraph 13, The above induction heater includes an induction coil installed in a coil installation section that generates a magnetic field when current is supplied, and a heat generating section that generates Joule heat due to eddy current loss by the magnetic field generated from the induction coil. A high-performance dehumidification system characterized in that the above moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit is formed partly or entirely of a metal material to perform the function of the above heat generation unit.

16. In paragraph 6, A high-performance dehumidification system characterized in that the high-temperature fluid heater includes a heating pipe through which high-temperature liquid heated by heat recovered from the recovery unit is circulated.

17. In any one of paragraphs 2 to 5, A high-performance dehumidification system characterized by including a backflow prevention means installed between the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit and the transfer unit to prevent the reaction air discharged from the moisture adsorption / desorption reaction unit to the transfer unit from flowing back.

18. In any one of paragraphs 2 to 5, A high-performance dehumidification system characterized in that a ventilation control damper is installed in the above-mentioned transport section so that air inside the greenhouse flows directly without passing through the above-mentioned moisture adsorption / desorption reaction section.

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