Enhanced latent energy and water harvesting

Abstract

A method (300), comprising: operating one or more adsorbent-coated contactors among one or more chambers in an adsorbing process (302); operating one or more adsorbent-coated contactors among one or more chambers in a desorbing process (304); and selectively thermally connecting between one or any contactor from the one or more chambers to an external heat source or selectively thermally connecting between one or any contactor from the one or more chambers to one or any other contactor from among the chambers regardless of a sealed or unsealed state of a connected chamber or chambers (306).

Description

[0001] Docket No. 600701-2020

[0002] ENHANCED LATENT ENERGY AND WATER HARVESTING

[0003] CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0004]

[0001] This application claims priority to pending U.S. Provisional Application entitled, “Enhanced Latent Energy and Water Harvesting”, having serial number 63 / 697,740, filed on September 23, 2024, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0005] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0006]

[0002] This disclosure is generally related to energy systems, and more particularly, heating, cooling, drying, ventilation and air conditioning applications.

[0007] BACKGROUND

[0008]

[0003] Water scarcity around the world affects billions of people, and heatwaves due to global warming impact billions more. As the earth continues to warm, the need for air conditioning is expected to triple in the next three decades. Currently, air conditioning and water systems comprise the largest single power demand in buildings. Air conditioning also puts a huge drain on electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

[0009]

[0004] Traditional air conditioning systems remove humidity from air by lowering the temperature of the air to below dewpoint by utilizing cooling with evaporator coils. For instance, humidity of the incoming or recirculated air is drawn out by the evaporator in a conventional, refrigerant based cooling system (e.g., the evaporation of the liquid refrigerant inside the coil that pulls heat out of the air flowing over the coil). When the air is cooled and hence becomes saturated, the water vapor condenses on the surface of the evaporator. The condensation of water vapor releases latent heat to the coil, which thermal energy is transferred to the refrigerant, leaving less capacity to take away sensible heat from the airflow (e.g., less ability to lower the air temperature). The water droplets also physically impede the airflow through the coil. The way these challenges have been managed in the past has been to make the system larger so that the system is able to dew out the water vapor and still have enough remaining capacity to cool the Docket No. 600701-2020 air stream. In humid climates, the water vapor condensing on the evaporator cools, and releasing the heat of condensation, accounts for a substantial amount of thermal energy that the system needs to overcome to cool the air in the building or vehicle. This may result in, among other issues, oversizing of the air conditioning condenser, evaporator heat exchangers, and / or the refrigerant compressor, which wastes energy, adding to greenhouse gas emissions.

[0010] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011]

[0005] A method, comprising: operating one or more adsorbent-coated contactors among one or more chambers in an adsorbing process; operating one or more adsorbent-coated contactors among one or more chambers in a desorbing process; and selectively thermally connecting between one or any contactor from the one or more chambers to an external heat source or selectively thermally connecting between one or any contactor from the one or more chambers to one or any other contactor from among the chambers regardless of a sealed or unsealed state of a connected chamber or chambers.

[0012]

[0006] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter.

[0013] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]

[0007] Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present systems and methods. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0015]

[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an embodiment of an example latent energy harvesting system, in accordance with one embodiment.

[0016]

[0009] FIG. 2 schematic diagram that illustrates an embodiment of an example latent energy harvesting system according to a startup drawdown state (state 1 ), in accordance with one embodiment. Docket No. 600701-2020

[0017]

[0010] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an embodiment of an example latent energy harvesting system according to a vacuum compressor (VSC) ramp-up state (state 2), in accordance with one embodiment.

[0018]

[0011] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an embodiment of an example latent energy harvesting system according to a heat exchange state (state 3), in accordance with one embodiment.

[0019]

[0012] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an embodiment of an example latent energy harvesting system according to a chamber heating state (state

[0020] 4), in accordance with one embodiment.

[0021]

[0013] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an embodiment of an example latent energy harvesting system according to a drawdown initiation state (state

[0022] 5), in accordance with one embodiment.

[0023]

[0014] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an embodiment of an example latent energy harvesting system according to an initial application drawdown state (state 6), in accordance with one embodiment.

[0024]

[0015] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an embodiment of an example latent energy harvesting system according to a drawdown transition state (state 7), in accordance with one embodiment.

[0025]

[0016] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an embodiment of an example latent energy harvesting system according to a final VSC-assist drawdown state (state 8), in accordance with one embodiment.

[0026]

[0017] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an embodiment of an example latent energy harvesting system according to a vacuum recovery state (state

[0027] 9), in accordance with one embodiment.

[0028]

[0018] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an embodiment of an example latent energy harvesting system according to a chamber isolation state (state

[0029] 10), in accordance with one embodiment.

[0030]

[0019] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an embodiment of an example latent energy harvesting system according to a repeat of states for the opposite chamber, in accordance with one embodiment.

[0031]

[0020] FIG. 13 is a flow diagram that illustrates one embodiment of a method. Docket No. 600701-2020

[0032]

[0021] FIG. 14 is a flow diagram that illustrates another embodiment of a method.

[0022] FIG. 15 is a flow diagram that illustrates another embodiment of a method.

[0033] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034]

[0023] Disclosed herein are certain embodiments of a latent energy and water harvesting system, method, and associated devices that illustrate a highly efficient atmospheric energy and water harvesting system that enables a substantial reduction of electrical power used to provide potable water and thermal energy sourced from air for beneficial use in heating, cooling, drying, ventilation and air conditioning applications. For instance, certain embodiments of a latent energy and water harvesting system include adsorption and desorption processes that are configured to address a variety of climate conditions. As an illustrative example, the cycles of the adsorption or desorption process may be adjusted based on the level of humidity in the air.

[0035]

[0024] In one embodiment, a latent energy and water harvesting system comprises plural heat exchanging contactors, each heat exchanging contactor enclosed in a chamber. Each chamber comprises a seal surrounding an inlet and outlet of the chamber, and each chamber is capable of having a sealed state and a non-sealed state. The plural heat exchanging contactors are coated with an adsorbent material formulated to adsorb certain gas molecules in an air stream and desorb the same gas molecules under a partial pressure vacuum. The seal for the chamber in the sealed state enables less than atmospheric pressure to be applied to the chamber while in the sealed state. The chamber in the non-sealed state is open to atmospheric pressure to expose an airstream to each heat exchanging contactor. In one embodiment, the latent energy and water harvesting system further comprises a vacuum air purge pump (APP) and a vapor compression pump (VSC), wherein the partial pressure vacuum applied to the chamber(s) in the sealed state is derived by the vacuum air purge pump and / or by the vapor compression pump. In some embodiments, the latent energy and water harvesting system further comprises a condenser configured to cool and phase change vapor to liquid condensate and collect thermal energy from condensing gas molecules, and a pump capable of transferring liquid condensate and / or non-condensable gases (e.g., oxygen, nitrogen, etc.) within the condenser from the state of partial vacuum to the Docket No. 600701-2020 pressure of the atmospheric environment. The latent energy and water harvesting system further comprises controllable valves to selectively configure the flow of air and / or of vapor to and from the chambers under partial vacuum through conduits. The latent energy and water harvesting system further comprises controllable valves to selectively configure the flow of thermal transfer fluid through conduits to and through heat exchangers. In some embodiments, the control of the flow of air and / or vapor and / or the flow of thermal transfer fluid may be coordinated and controlled by one or more controllers, where in some embodiments, the controller receives sensor and / or meter inputs and delivers control signals to various devices (e.g., valves, pumps, motors, among other motive devices). In some embodiments, a different quantity of components (e.g., fewer or greater) may be used, and hence are contemplated to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0036]

[0025] Further, although the description identifies or describes specifics of one or more embodiments, such specifics are not necessarily part of every embodiment, nor are all of any various stated advantages necessarily associated with a single embodiment. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Further, it should be appreciated in the context of the present disclosure that the claims are not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments set out in the description.

[0037]

[0026] Thermal assisted system overview

[0038]

[0027] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an example latent energy harvesting system 10. Focusing initially on the core of the example latent energy harvesting system 10, which is used in FIGS. 2-12 for illustrating certain states during a desorption and transition process, the latent energy harvesting system 10 includes at least a first chamber (CH1 ) 12 and a second chamber (CH2) 14. Chamber 12 includes one or more (heat exchanging) contactors 16, and chamber 14 includes one or more (heat exchanging) contactors 18. As used herein, a contactor is a structure specifically designed to maximize contact between the moving air stream and the surface of the structure, which in the current embodiment, is coated with an adsorbent material. The adsorbent material is formulated to adsorb and desorb certain gas molecules in an air Docket No. 600701-2020 stream. In one embodiment, the targeted gas / fluid for adsorption / desorption is water vapor. Note that for purposes of facilitating an understanding of the latent energy and water harvesting system 10, chamber 12 is referred to as an adsorbing chamber, whereas chamber 14 is referred to as a desorbing chamber, with the understanding that each chamber serves an adsorbing and desorbing function, and that the description that follows is intended to convey operations at a certain stage or instance or period of time.

[0039]

[0028] In one embodiment, the chambers 12, 14 are configured so that the desorbing contactor (e.g., contactor 18) may be sealed and placed in a partial vacuum to desorb the water vapor from the adsorbent coating of the heat exchanging contactor 18 (a sealed or sealable state of the chamber), and after it has fully surrendered (or surrendered a sufficient amount of) the water vapor, the chamber 14 is opened (via a pair of doors, such as activated by a door servo (DS) or other control) to the flow of the air stream for the contactor 18 to adsorb the water vapor from the air stream (a nonsealed or non-sealable state of the chamber) while the other chamber 12 is sealed in a partial vacuum and the water vapor desorbed. The sealing is achieved at least in part by the closing of the pair of doors, each of the pair of doors moved by a motive device (e.g., motor or an actuator, such as a door servo) to a first position where it contacts a pliable material (e.g., compressible seal) such as a soft rubber ring or tube that is compressed between the door and the mouth (opening) of each end of a given chamber 12, 14. The compression of the ring or tube is by the negative pressure of the vacuum, by force of a motive device, or both. The motive device may comprise a gear motor, a solenoid, or a pneumatic or hydraulic or electric cylinder. The movement of the doors and the timing of the vacuum may be controlled by a controller 74 in one embodiment. Note that a pair of doors is described for each chamber, though in some embodiments, a different quantity of doors may be used for the assembly of chambers and / or for each chamber.

[0040]

[0029] The contactors 16 and 18 are comprised of a plurality of metal surfaces, including aluminum, copper, or other thermally conductive material. Non-metal materials, including thermally conductive composites of graphene or metallized plastics, may alternatively comprise all or part of the contactors 16 and 18 in some embodiments. The type of construction for each of the contactors 16 and 18 may be a Docket No. 600701-2020 tube and fin, microchannel, rolled fin, or another configuration or structure with suitable surface area. Cooling media, which in some embodiments flows from an adsorbing heat exchanging contactor that is adsorbing the water vapor from the air stream to a desorbing heat exchanging contactor that is desorbing water vapor, such as via activation of valves V10 60, V11 62, includes a fluid, including water, water / glycol, nanofluid, or refrigerant. In one embodiment, the fluid may be moved in a loop (e.g., conduit, including piping, tubing, hose, etc.) by a transfer pump (e.g., CP1 66), wherein in some embodiments, the fluid transfers the heat of adsorption collected by the adsorbing heat exchanging contactor to the desorbing heat exchanging contactor. Further description of the chambers 12, 14 and contactors 16, 18 may be found in commonly assigned WIPO Publication No. 2023 / 056400. The contactors 16,18 are fluidly and selectively coupled to a plurality of components via conduits (e.g., piping), as illustrated by the legend 20 located beneath the latent energy harvesting system 10 in FIG. 1 (and FIGS. 2-12). Note that the legend 20 represents, with different line patterns, the type of fluid flowing through the conduits and components of the latent energy harvesting system 10, and includes a solid line representation for vapor, a dashed plus dotted line for coolant, and a dashed line for oil. Further, legend 20 also includes, in FIGS. 2-5 and 9-12, a vapor callout (dotted line) and FIGS. 6-8 have two vapor callouts (the second callout represented using bolded and dashed lines). The vapor callouts represent the low pressure segments of the system. Drawings with two vapor callouts represent operational sequence states where the system has isolated two low pressure sections that may not be the same pressure.

[0041]

[0030] The latent energy and water harvesting system 10 further includes a vacuum or vapor compression pump (VSC) 52 located along conduit 42, vacuum air purge pump (APP) 54 along conduit 48, and a condenser 56 along conduit 42. Note that vapor compression pump 52 is also referred to herein as vacuum compression pump, vacuum compressor, or the like. Vacuum air purge pump 54 is also referred to herein as air purge pump. The vapor compression pump 52 may include variable volume flow, variable speed, etc. and is designed to compress vapor up to a higher pressure and pull a lower vacuum level in the chamber than the vacuum air purge pump 54 can accomplish on its own. The purpose of the vapor compression pump 52 is to Docket No. 600701-2020 further separate the saturation conditions of the vapor beyond what can be achieved with a difference in temperatures between the condenser 56 and the chamber in the desorption state.

[0042]

[0031] Valves SV1 22 and SV2 24 located proximal to chamber 12 and chamber 14, respectively, separate the chambers 12, 14 from the ambient environment. In some embodiments, valves SV1 22 and SV2 24 may be moved to a different location inside the vapor routing section and / or may be reduced to only one valve.

[0043]

[0032] Located along conduit 32 are valves V1 34 and V2 36 which can seal off or open their respective chamber from the rest of the vapor channel. Valves V1 34 and V2 36 can also be opened at the same time at any point in operation if chamber pressure equalization is desired.

[0044]

[0033] Valves V8 26 and V9 28 are located along conduit 30, and enable the air purge pump (APP) 54 to directly access both chambers separately or together without drawing through the vapor compression pump (VSC).

[0045]

[0034] Located along conduit 42 is valve V3 44 and valve V6 46. Located along conduit 38 is valve V4 40. Located along conduit 48 is valve V5 50. Valves V440, V3 44, and V5 50 are actuated to route air purge pump access to the VSC 52. In one configuration, valves V3 44 and V5 50 may be open to pull the gas through the condenser. In another configuration, valve V4 40 may be open while valves V3 44 and V5 50 remain closed so the gas in the system will bypass the condenser 56 when pumped by the air purge pump 54. In another configuration, valves V4 40 and V5 50 may be in the closed states while valves V8 26 and V9 28 may independently or both be in the open state will allow the air purge pump 54 to access one or both of the chambers while bypassing the vapor pathway through the vapor compression pump 52.

[0046]

[0035] Valves V1060, V11 62, V12 71 , and V13 73 in the coolant lines route the generated heat around the system to be used for a beneficial purpose. Internal heat sources include the contactor(s) in the chamber in the adsorbing state, the condenser 56, and the vapor compression pump, oil heat exchanger 58. Through the coolant line valves, heat is directed towards the contactor(s) in the chamber in the desorbing state to facilitate desorption. In one embodiment of the coolant routing, a pump can pump coolant through the condenser 56 and the vapor compression pump heat exchanger 58 Docket No. 600701-2020 through valve V12 71 pointed at (directing flow to) valve V11 62 with valve V11 62 pointed towards the desorber (e.g., desorbing chamber). In this embodiment, with valve V10 60 closed and valve V13 73 in the open state, only condenser and compressor oil heat may be transferred to the desorber. In another embodiment where valves, V11 62, V12 71 , and V13 73 are in the same state as the immediately previous embodiment with valve V10 60 in the open state, while pumping a second pump through the adsorber (e.g., the adsorbing chamber), heat from all three internal heat sources are to be directed towards the desorber. In another embodiment, if valve V12 71 is directed away from valve V11 62, valve V13 73 is closed, and valve V10 60 is open, heat sharing occurs directly between adsorption and desorption while the condenser and compressor heat can be circulated independently and rejected through the radiator 70. Note that the description above emphasizes the use of different valve configurations for internal or external heat transfer through the conduit infrastructure, though in some embodiments, other mechanisms may be used, including via pumps.

[0047]

[0036] Additional components in the example latent energy and water harvesting system 10 depicted in FIG. 1 include an oil cooler 58 (e.g., the heat exchanger connected to the oil side of the VSC 52 and the coolant oil to enable the dumping of heat produced by the VSC into the coolant line / conduit), fans / blowers 64 for the chambers 12, 14, a water collection reservoir or container 66, pumps 66 (e.g., CP1 , CP2), a radiator 70, flow meters (FM, including fluid (thermal) flow or air flow meters), among various types of valves.

[0048]

[0037] Further, in some embodiments, the example latent energy and water harvesting system 10 may include one or more controllers (one controller 74 depicted in FIG. 1 ). The controller may receive various inputs via wired and / or wireless signal paths, including inputs from sensors 76 (e.g., temperature sensors (T), pressure sensors (P), and / or humidity sensors (H)) and / or meters 78 (e.g., air flow meters, fluid flow meters, etc.). Note that the sensors shown in FIG. 1 are omitted in FIG. 2-12 to avoid obfuscating the description of the states shown in FIG. 2-12. Further, in some embodiments, a different quantity (e.g., fewer) of sensors may be used, and in some embodiments, sensors may not be used (e.g., meters are used instead). In some embodiments, after characterization of system performance (e.g., through the use of a Docket No. 600701-2020 power meter), the system 10 may be controlled by controller 74 implementing an algorithm adapted based on evaluation of the system by the power meter, and thus operational without the use of sensors and / or meter input. In some embodiments, the quantity of sensors 76 may be reduced to focus attention on a few select areas of the fluid circuit and / or components. An example of select monitoring may include monitoring the input / output of pressure sensors for the vacuum compression pump 52 (e.g., compression ratio monitoring), temperature sensors at the outlet of the vacuum compression pump 52 (e.g., for regulating thermal expansion), temperature sensors at the condenser 56 (e.g., to evaluate saturation conditions), temperature sensors in the chambers 12, 14 plus pressure sensors at the inlet to the vacuum compression pump 52 (e.g., to evaluate desorber saturation conditions), and / or external humidity and temperature probes (e.g., to inform or assist sequence timing based on environmental conditions).

[0049]

[0038] The controller(s) 74 may activate one or more devices to coordinate and / or control heat and / or fluid transfer, including the activation of valves 80 (e.g., SV1 , SV2, V1 , V2, etc.), pumps 82 (e.g., CP1 , etc.), motors 84, and / or other motive devices (e.g., variable speed drives). Note that in some embodiments, the motors 84 may include permanent magnet-type motors.

[0050]

[0039] In one embodiment, the controller 74 may comprise a computer device (e.g., an electronic control unit or ECU), a programmable logic controller (PLC), field programmable gate array (FPGA), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), among other devices, and in some embodiments, functionality of the latent energy harvesting system may be implemented using plural controllers (e.g., using a peer-to-peer or primary-secondary methodology). In one embodiment, the controller 74 comprises one or more processors, input / output (I / O) interface(s), and memory, which may all be coupled to one or more data busses. The memory may include any one or a combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., random-access memory RAM, such as DRAM, and SRAM, etc.) and nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, Flash, hard drive, EPROM, EEPROM, CDROM, etc.). The memory may store a native operating system, one or more native applications, emulation systems, or emulated applications for any of a variety of operating systems and / or emulated hardware platforms, emulated Docket No. 600701-2020 operating systems, etc. The memory may comprise a non-transitory (computer- readable) medium that may store software for implementing functionality of the system as described above.

[0051]

[0040] Execution of the software may be implemented by one or more processors of the controller 74 (or plural controllers) under the management and / or control of an operating system, though in some embodiments, an operating system may be omitted. Such processors may be embodied as a custom-made or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU) or an auxiliary processor among several processors, a semiconductor based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip), a macroprocessor, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), a plurality of suitably configured digital logic gates, and / or other well-known electrical configurations comprising discrete elements both individually and in various combinations to coordinate the overall operation of the controller 74.

[0052]

[0041] When certain embodiments of the controller 74 are implemented at least in part as software (including firmware), it should be noted that the software can be stored on a variety of non-transitory computer-readable medium for use by, or in connection with, a variety of computer-related systems or methods. In the context of this document, a computer-readable medium may comprise an electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical device or apparatus that may contain or store a computer program (e.g., executable code or instructions) for use by or in connection with a computer- related system or method. The software may be embedded in a variety of computer- readable mediums for use by, or in connection with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions.

[0053]

[0042] When certain embodiment of the controller 74 are implemented at least in part as hardware, such functionality may be implemented with any or a combination of the following technologies, which are all well-known in the art: a discrete logic circuit(s) having logic gates for implementing logic functions upon data signals, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) having appropriate combinational logic gates, a programmable gate array(s) (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. Docket No. 600701-2020

[0054]

[0043] Note that in some embodiments, one or more of the components described in FIG. 1 may be omitted. For instance, in some embodiments, the condenser 56 and / or air purge pump 54 are optional (e.g., may be omitted in some embodiments). As another example, in some embodiments, the vapor compression pump 52 may also, or alternatively, be optional. For applications where the thermal transfer relies only on internal heat sources, the vapor compression pump 52 is used. In applications where the thermal transfer relies only on external heat sources, the vapor compression pump 52 is not needed, and hence may be omitted or deactivated. In some embodiments, the system 10 may rely on external and internal heat sources. Note that internal heat, as that term or like terms is used herein, refers to any thermal energy generated by the present system’s functions, including heat of adsorption (occurs when sorbent adsorbs vapor), heat of desorption (occurs when sorbent releases vapor), heat of vaporization / condensation (occurs when vapor is caused to change phase), heat of compression (occurs when vapor is compressed). Also, external heat, as that term or like terms is used herein, refers to any thermal energy generated outside the present system’s function, including geothermal heat, solar heat, heat exhausted or rejected by an industrial process, heat rejected through a cooling process, heat from an internal combustion engine, heat from power plants, or any other similar heat source.

[0055]

[0044] Having described the example latent energy and water harvesting system 10 of FIG. 1 , and before proceeding with a description of the different states of operation in association with FIGS. 2-12, a description of one or more functionality / features associated with certain embodiments of the latent energy and water harvesting system 10 is described below. The coordination and / or sequence of states may be achieved in some embodiments by a controller(s) (see FIG. 1 ) that uses a plurality of sensors to sense temperature, pressure, and / or humidity, or in some embodiments, coordination and / or sequencing may be based on timing or evaluation of system performance (e.g., metering) and programmed accordingly. Note that one or a combination of such functionality may be found in certain embodiments of a latent energy and water harvesting system 10.

[0056]

[0045] Thermally-assisted, vacuum swing desorption cycle Docket No. 600701-2020

[0057]

[0046] There are multiple sources of thermal energy that are developed internally to the latent energy and water harvesting system 10 during operation. Heat sources may be transferred (e.g., by pumped thermal transfer fluid) with the use of a heat exchanger. The heat sources include the heat of adsorption, the latent heat of vaporization realizable as sensible heat upon deriving condensation from the vapor phase, the heat derived within the vacuum compression pump 52 during operation of the pump, and the heat derived within the vacuum air purge pump 54 during the operation of the air purge pump. For instance, as an illustrative example, most of the figures show sources examples of heat emanating from chamber 1 , the oil cooler, and condenser, and being received at chamber 2, as symbolically represented by the directional arrows 90 from the source and to the sink. The heat of adsorption is typically equal to the heat of desorption, yet when an airstream is flowing over an adsorbing heat exchanger, a portion of the heat of adsorption is transferred by convection into the air, from which water vapor is removed. Hence, the amount of thermal energy of the heat of adsorption that can be transferred to the desorbing heat exchanger is somewhat less than the heat of desorption, thus a desorbing contactor tends to cool if an additional source of thermal energy is not transferred to the desorbing heat exchanger contactor. Transferring additional thermal energy sources and combining with the heat of adsorption may be beneficial to derive an enhanced desorption rate and enhanced desorption capacity, and / or to enable operating the vacuum compression assisted desorption at higher chamber pressure. The additional thermal energy resources include, but are not limited to: the heat from the condenser 56 and / or the compressor of a refrigerant vapor compression / direct expansion cooling system; the waste heat from a combustion engine; solar thermal or photovoltaic panels; heat from an industrial or commercial process; a district heating network, or an exothermic reaction. The thermal energy from these sources may be thermally transferred through the select actuation / activation of one or more valves and in the vapor conduit infrastructure or sections.

[0058]

[0047] Both the desorption rate and the depth of desorption of vapor from the desorbing heat exchanger may be enhanced if the desorbing heat exchange contactor is warmed. Depth of desorption refers to how much of the water vapor that the sorbent Docket No. 600701-2020 is holding that is capable of being released. As an illustrative example, if the vacuum section is only able to be drawn down to a certain pressure (e.g., 20 mBar), then the capability exists to desorb more water vapor as the contactor in the desorbing chamber becomes warmer. Hence, it is advantageous to combine heat sources to become equal, or exceed, in the quantity of thermal energy, the cooling effect of the heat of desorption of the desorbing heat exchanger contactor. It is of further advantage to transfer a hotter sensible temperature of the thermal energy to the desorbing heat exchange contactor to further raise the operating temperature of the desorbing heat exchanger (e.g., to a dry bulb temperature warmer than the air that is being entrained to the adsorbing heat exchanger contactor).

[0059]

[0048] Warming the heat exchanging contactor that is operating as the desorbing heat exchanger contactor advantageously modifies the vapor desorption properties of the adsorbent coating. The warming of the adsorbent provides for the adsorbent to release vapor into the sealed chamber at higher partial pressure, thereby increasing the density of the vapor in the sealed chamber, which in turn avails lowering the amount of compression of the vapor that is needed to achieve saturation and induce condensation in the condenser. Additionally, an increase in the density of the vapor within the sealed chamber results in less volume of vapor per unit of mass transfer and compression needed of the vacuum compressor, thus providing for a comparatively smaller pump capacity versus the larger volumetric pump capacity needed to transfer vapor of a lower density.

[0060]

[0049] In general, at higher temperatures, the isotherm maximum adsorption quantity is decreased and the vacuum pressure needed to desorb water is reduced. For instance, consider industry water vapor adsorption and desorption isotherm curves for an example metal organic framework [MOF], designated as MT-MOF-1 , at three different operating dry bulb Celsius temperatures of 10°C, 30°C and 50°C. There is a significant shift in the isotherm curves, wherein the MT-MOF-1 is considerably more hydrophilic at cooler operating temperatures as to MT-MOF-Ts water vapor mass loading and as to the adsorbing at lower absolute vapor pressures. It is evident that the adsorption properties of the MOF are enhanced when operated at cooler temperatures and the desorption properties of the MOF are enhanced when operated at warmer Docket No. 600701-2020 temperatures. Certain embodiments of latent energy and water harvesting systems facilitate adsorption and desorption with selective thermal energy transfer from and to heat exchangers, as will be disclosed herein.

[0061]

[0050] When an abundance of heat sources is available, such that the heat of adsorption does not need to be transferred to facilitate the desorption of the desorbing heat exchange (heat exchanging) contactor, then the adsorbing heat exchange contactor may have its heat of adsorption transferred to an alternative heat sink other than the desorbing heat exchanger. That is to say, in some embodiments, the adsorbing and desorbing heat exchange contactors may operate according to a non-thermally coupled (decoupled) method. In some embodiments, thermal coupling is used with or without the addition of other heat sinks. In some embodiments, the adsorbing heat exchange contactor may be operated with independent thermal transfer mechanisms derived to achieve yet cooler operation, and the desorbing contactor is operated to derive yet a higher temperature of operation. Note that the terms heat exchanger and heat exchange contactor and contactor are used herein interchangeably.

[0062]

[0051] The heat exchange contactors that alternate between functioning as adsorbing contactors and desorbing contactors may be thermally coupled to enable thermal transfer, between themselves, wherein the thermal transfer involves the exchange of heat of adsorption and heat of desorption between one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as an adsorbing heat exchanging contactor enclosed in the chamber in a non-sealed state and another of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as a desorbing heat exchanging contactor in the chamber in a sealed state. Additional thermal energy to facilitate thermally assisted, vacuum swing desorption may be supplied from any and all combinations of the available sources of thermal energy of the system to be applied to the heat exchanging contactors acting as desorbing heat exchanging contactors. The combinations of thermal energy may be partial or complete combinations of their thermal energy sources, or even not combined, but rather, kept separate. The combinations of thermal energy may be realized by any permutation of the sequence of the combination thermal energy sources and at various flow rates and flow volumes and flow sequence timing. Sources of thermal energy may have their thermal energy split as to flow and reversed as to flow. The sources of thermal energy Docket No. 600701-2020 may have the thermal energy flow in parallel pathways or series pathways (e.g., serpentine) of exchange through the sources of thermal energy and similarly as to exchange to heat sinks of the thermal energy, e.g., the desorbing heat exchange contactors, or a radiator may have the thermal energy flowed in parallel pathways or series pathways of exchange from the sources of the thermal energy. In certain embodiments, the flow of thermal transfer fluid is adjustable to shift the flow to be from lower temperature to higher temperature sources before the thermal energy is transferred to the desorbing heat exchange contactors to provide an adequate or preferred quantity of thermal energy at a favorable higher temperature of thermal energy.

[0063]

[0052] Thermally cooling assisted operation:

[0064]

[0053] Cooling methods and devices acting as thermal energy heat sink sources include but are not limited to the desorbing heat exchangers, air cooled radiators, evaporatively cooling systems of dry bulb chilled air or of chilled fluid, a water source or ground source heat sinks, an endothermic reaction, a process or product that is cool and needs to be warmed, the comparatively cooled and conditioned exhaust airstream of a building, the fresh ventilation and / or the return ventilation air, or a radiant heating loop of a space that needs to be warmed.

[0065]

[0054] Thermally cooled adsorption heat exchanger contactor

[0066]

[0055] Transferring cooler thermal transfer fluid to the adsorbing contactor may enhance the material properties and performance of the adsorbent as to vapor uptake capacity and uptake rate kinetics, and in some embodiments, may provide for selecting the thermal transfer fluid flow path and components that result in providing a cooler fluid flow to the adsorbing contactor. In one embodiment in particular, the adsorbing heat exchanger is favorably cooled (most) assertively as the adsorbing cycle nears its completion to be able to utilize a fuller vapor uptake capacity of the adsorbent. This high state coolness should carry into the initiation stages of the subsequent desorption cycle. One intent of such an operation is to facilitate the adsorbent retaining the vapor until the desorption cycle has entered a state in which the vacuum compression pump 52 is operating. The vacuum compression pump 52 induces compression of vapor towards saturation and condensing in the condenser 56, at which time a changeover in Docket No. 600701-2020 the flow of thermal transfer fluid source should be provided to supplying warming thermal energy applied to the initiation of desorption from the heat exchange contactor (and thereby facilitating the desorption of vapor at yet higher vapor density and vapor pressure within the sealed desorbing chamber).

[0067]

[0056] Sources of the thermal energy within the latent energy and water harvesting system may have their thermal energy transferred to heat sinks other than the desorbing heat exchange contactors to be used for many beneficial purposes, for example, to provide for space warming, or hot water, or a drying process, or supporting the endothermic requirements of a chemical reaction or phase change. Additionally (or alternatively), the thermal energy may simply be rejected to the atmospheric environment, for example, by an air-cooled heat exchanger or to a ground sink or water sink.

[0068]

[0057] Thermally cooling of the condenser

[0069]

[0058] The cooler the operating temperature of the condenser 56 of the compressed water vapor, the less the compression ratio and compression energy needed to realize effective condensation and the greater the condensing capacity of the latent energy and water harvesting system 10. A heat transfer fluid flow path through available heat sinks should be utilized to provide for deriving a cooler supply of thermal transfer fluid to the condensing heat exchanger.

[0070]

[0059] Similar to the source of thermal energy, any and all sources of thermal heat sinks may be favorably combined, partially or completely, or kept separate. The combinations of thermal heat sink sources may be realized by any permutation of the sequence of the combination thermal heat sink sources and at various flow rates and flow volumes. Sources of thermal heat sink may have their thermal energy transfer split as to flow and reversed as to flow. The sources of thermal heat sink may have the thermal energy flow in parallel pathways or series pathways (e.g. serpentine) of exchange through the sources of the heat sink and similarly as to exchange to heat sources of the thermal energy (e.g., the adsorbing heat exchange contactors), or a condenser may have the thermal energy flow in parallel pathways or series pathways of exchange to the sources of the heat sink. In certain embodiments, the flow of thermal Docket No. 600701-2020 transfer fluid to the heat sinks is adjustable to shift the flow to be from higher temperature to lower temperature cooling sources.

[0071]

[0060] System operation and configuration to accommodate rate limitations of adsorption versus desorption cycling:

[0072]

[0061] Depending on the amount of water vapor in an airstream being entrained into the latent energy and water harvesting system 10 and / or the properties of the adsorbent and the temperature of operation of adsorption and desorption, either the adsorption cycling or the desorption cycling may become the rate limiting half cycle of operation of the latent energy and water harvesting system 10.

[0073]

[0062] In a high humidity condition, the desorption cycle may become rate limiting as to completion of the desorption and regeneration of the adsorbent. In one embodiment, and referring to chamber 12 as the adsorbing chamber and chamber 14 as the desorbing chamber for purposes of illustration, operation of a two chamber system in high humidity conditions may be at the conclusion of the adsorption cycle to seal the adsorbing chamber 12 and simultaneously retain the sealing of the desorbing chamber 1 while maintaining its active vacuum compression of the vapor into the condenser 56, thereby continuing the desorption of chamber 14 until its desorption operating cycle is deemed complete (while enabling the initiation of the preparatory steps of the desorption process of the heat exchange contactor 16 that just completed adsorbing). Simultaneously, continuing the operation of the desorption cycle of one chamber (e.g., chamber 14) while discontinuing and converting another chamber (e.g., chamber 12) from an adsorption cycle to a desorption cycle by initiating the preparatory steps of sealing and drawing down the pressure of a chamber enables a greater time of cycling in a desorption mode of operation for certain embodiments of the latent energy and water harvesting system 10. Accordingly, a greater number of completions of desorption cycles per unit of time may be realized, realizing greater capacity of latent energy and water harvesting per unit of time.

[0074]

[0063] Vacuum pressure potential energy recovery

[0075]

[0064] When a chamber has been sealed and a vacuum drawn, it has retained a potential energy of vacuum pressure and vacuum inducing effort, which may be recovered if a second chamber is sealed from atmospheric pressure and the two Docket No. 600701-2020 chambers are allowed to be selectively connected to share gases and thus achieve equilibrium pressure. For instance, and referring to FIG. 1 , vacuum sharing among chambers 12, 14 may be achieved by opening valves V1 34 and V2 36. Utilizing the vacuum energy recovery reduces the time to draw a vacuum for desorption, thereby enhancing the capacity of the cycles achieved per period time (e.g., cycles per hour) and reducing the energy consumed to induce the vacuum pressure, allowing for a reduced size of the vacuum pumps. There are various stages of operation of the two chambers of adsorption and desorption at which the equilibrium pressure exchange may be activated.

[0076]

[0065] (1 ) The newly sealed chamber at atmospheric pressure may be caused to equilibrate to the chamber that has just completed its vacuum assisted desorption cycle, in which case the chambers equilibrate to a pressure somewhat above ! atmospheric pressure.

[0077]

[0066] (2) The sealed chamber may have an air purge vacuum pump 54 draw the chamber down considerably from atmospheric pressure, then ensure the chamber is sealed from communication to the atmospheric environment, then open the chambers to each other through the vapor conduits to enable the two chambers to share gases and equilibrate to a pressure below atmospheric pressure, e.g., >100 millibar.

[0078]

[0067] (3) The newly sealed chamber may have an air purge vacuum pump 54 draw the chamber down considerably from atmospheric pressure and also activate a vacuum compression pump 52 placed in series to assist and speed the rate of vacuum draw down pressure to a yet lower chamber pressure. The chamber may be sealed from communication to the ambient environment. Then, the chambers may be opened to each other through the vapor lines (conduits) to enable the two chambers to share gases and equilibrate to a pressure further below1 / 2 atmosphere, e.g., <100 millibar.

[0079]

[0068] Chamber quantity and operating cyclic optimization

[0080]

[0069] In low humidity conditions, the adsorption cycle may become rate limiting as to completion of adsorption uptake capacity of water vapor. In some embodiments, a two chamber system may shorten the time that the two chambers are both sealed and thus interrupted from being in adsorption mode and instead, share the vacuum pressure Docket No. 600701-2020 differential recovery immediately upon sealing the second chamber instead of delaying opening of the desorbed chamber.

[0081]

[0070] Alternatively, one embodiment may incorporate more than two chambers, which may be operated in sets of more adsorbing chambers to desorbing chambers. For example, a three chamber configuration for low humidity operating mode may be provided, wherein one chamber is in the desorption mode while two chambers are in adsorption mode. Each chamber takes turns switching between adsorption and desorption.

[0082]

[0071] For high humidity operating mode, the same system components may be provided, wherein one chamber is in the adsorption mode while two chambers are in desorption mode.

[0083]

[0072] An embodiment of a latent energy and water harvesting system 10 may utilize three (3) chambers, which may provide for selective operation of mitigation against rate limitations of adsorption or of desorption to accommodate for changes in humidity and temperature conditions (such as may be expected from diurnal climatic conditions, seasonal changes, or other latent load requirement changes, such as peak heating, or peak dehumidification requirements).

[0084]

[0073] Similarly, any number of chambers may be operated each selectively in adsorption, desorption, or idle mode

[0085]

[0074] Having described functionality found in one or more embodiments of a latent energy and water harvesting system 10, attention is now directed to FIGS. 2-12, which depict the operation of the vacuum air purge pump 54 (also referred to herein as simply air purge pump 54) and vacuum compression pump 52 (also referred to herein as vacuum compressor 52) and configurations of the open or closed state of operation of a system of vacuum pressure control valves. In particular, the description below provides an explanation of the change of state of each valve and the function of that stage of an example embodiment of a vacuum swing desorption cycle.

[0086]

[0075] State 1 (FIG. 2) - startup drawdown - performed once per operation, not every cycle:

[0087]

[0076] State Table Docket No. 600701-2020

[0088]

[0077] The initiation of an embodiment of the latent energy and water harvesting system, wherein chamber 1 (CH 1 ) 12 is in non-sealed state with its upstream and downstream doors open and is at atmospheric pressure, whereas chamber 2 (CH 2) 14 has been placed in a sealed state with its upstream and downstream doors closed. The air purge pump (APP) 54 is turned on and is drawing air from chamber 2 14 and the vacuum conduits that lead to the vacuum compressor 52 and from both the vacuum compressor 52 and the condenser 56 so as to purge the vacuum swing system components of non-condensable gases and to reduce the pressure in chamber 1 12 to prepare for desorption of water vapor from the adsorbent coated heat exchange contactors enclosed in chamber 2 14. The vacuum compressor 52 is off. An example duration for this state is approximately 15 seconds.

[0089]

[0078] State 2 (FIG. 3) - vacuum compressor (VSC) ramp-up - performed once per operation, not every cycle; no vapor valve switching (e.g., at the start, the valves are already in the correct orientation or state to target the desorbed chamber with the VSC and APP):

[0090]

[0079] State Table Docket No. 600701-2020

[0091]

[0080] Chamber 1 12 remains in an unsealed state and is actively adsorbing water vapor from air that is entrained into chamber 1 12. The vacuum compressor 52 is turned on and placed in series operation with the air purge pump 54 (i.e. , remains on) and allowed to increase in speed and flow rate, enabling the pump 54 and the compressor 52 to draw a lower pressure and more completely purge non-condensable gases from chamber 2 14 and the water vapor condenser 56. The doors of chamber 2 14 are closed (sealed state). An example duration for this state is approximately 30 seconds.

[0092]

[0081] State 3 (FIG. 4) - heat exchange - no vapor valve switching:

[0093]

[0082] State Table Docket No. 600701-2020

[0094]

[0083] Valve 4 (V4) 40 is closed, thereby leaving the water vapor pathway to pass only through the condenser 56. As indicated above, heat sources include adsorption, condensation, and compressor heat. Heat is exchanged (e.g., from adsorption and condensation, whether all into the desorbing chamber at once or via switching) for warming of chamber 2 14, with the air purge pump 54 cycling on and off periodically in series mode to facilitate bumps of purging of residual non-condensable gases, all the while the vacuum compressor 52 remains on continuously to induce compression of the water vapor into the condenser 56 and to achieve a highly desorbed state of the adsorbent coated heat exchangers of chamber 2 14. The doors of chamber 1 12 are open, and the doors of chamber 2 14 are closed. An example duration for this state is approximately 180 seconds.

[0095]

[0084] State 4 (FIG. 5) - chamber heating - no vapor valve switching:

[0096]

[0085] State Table

[0097]

[0086] State 4 is a continuation of the state from the conclusion of State 3 (FIG. 4). The vacuum compressor 52 remains on, the air purge pump 54 continues it bump purges, and the doors of chamber 1 12 are open and the doors of chamber 2 14 are Docket No. 600701-2020 closed. There are no further changes that occur in the operating state of the vacuum valves. Water vapor continues to desorb from the adsorbent coated heat exchangers of chamber 2 14 and is compressed by the vacuum compressor 52 inducing condensing in the condenser 56. Condensate from condenser 56 is collected by water container 66, under vacuum, and is periodically released to ambient pressure by opening valve 7 (V7) 94 or continuously pumped by diaphragm pump 92 (FIG. 1 ) to ambient pressure with valve 7 (V7) 94 open. In embodiments containing valve 6 (V6) 46 and valve 7 (V7) 94, a method of operating the system may include sealing off the water collection container 66 by closing valve 6 (V6) 46 before opening valve 7 (V7) 94 to drain water from the system, therefore allowing all other functions within the system to be uninterrupted while draining collected water. In some embodiments, valve 6 (V6) 46 and / or valve 7 (V7) 94 is omitted. In some embodiments, one or a combination of the water container 66 and diaphragm pump 92 may be implemented. An example duration for this state is approximately 90 seconds.

[0098]

[0087] State 5 (FIG. 6) - drawdown initiation:

[0099]

[0088] State Table

[0100]

[0089] State 5 involves the start of drawdown while the desorption process is still active. The air purge pump 54 is on and used for both the initial drawdown and bumps Docket No. 600701-2020 as needed. The doors to chamber 1 12 are closed and placed in a sealed state, and valve 5 (V5) 50 is closed to isolate the air purge pump 54 from the desorbing chamber 2 14 (which doors are also closed) and to initiate preparations to draw down the pressure of chamber 1 12. The vacuum compressor (VSC) 52 continues to operate, compressing the water vapor that continues to desorb from chamber 2 14 and pushing the compressed water vapor into the condenser 56, thereby extending the desorption cycle and completeness of desorption of the adsorbent coated heat exchangers in chamber 2 14. The air purge pump (APP) 54 is turned on to purge the air from the portion of the vacuum conduit between valves 4 (V4) 40, 5 (V5) 50, 8 (V8) 26, and 9 (V9) 28 and draws that vacuum conduit segment down towards, in one example, 90 millibar. Note that valve 2 (V2) 36 may be used to seal off chamber 2 14 from the APP and condenser section. An example duration for state 5 is approximately 5 seconds.

[0101]

[0090] State 6 (FIG. 7) - initial application drawdown:

[0091] State Table

[0102]

[0092] In general, drawdown is started while desorbing is occurring, and the air purge pump 54 is used for both the initial drawdown and bumps as needed. For instance, state 6 involves the initiation of the drawdown of the pressure of chamber 1 12. Valve 8 (V8) 26 is opened. Both chambers 12,14 remain in a sealed state with their Docket No. 600701-2020 doors closed and both the air purge pump 54 and the vacuum compressor 52 are operating. The air purge pump 54 draws air from chamber 1 12 and expels the air to the ambient environment at atmospheric pressure and reduces the pressure towards 100 millibar. All the while, the vacuum compressor 52 continues to compress water vapor desorbed from chamber 2 14 and transfers the water vapor into the condenser 56. An example duration for state 6 is approximately 85 seconds.

[0103]

[0093] State 7 (FIG. 8) - drawdown transition:

[0104]

[0094] State Table

[0105]

[0095] State 7 involves preparing the system for the rest of the drawdown using the vacuum compressor 52. For instance, state 7 involves a transition stage preparing the system to change chamber cycles. Valves 2 (V2) 36, 3 (V3) 44, and 8 (V8) 26 are closed, as are the doors to both chambers 12,14. An example duration is approximately 5 seconds.

[0106]

[0096] State 8 (FIG. 9) - final VSC-assist drawdown:

[0107]

[0097] State Table Docket No. 600701-2020

[0108]

[0098] During state 8, after desorption, the vacuum compressor 52 is used to complete the drawdown of the adsorbed chamber (chamber 1 12). The doors for chamber 1 12 and chamber 2 14 are closed. The vacuum compressor 52 may remain on and just switch from the fully desorbed chamber to the new desorbing chamber. In effect, the VSC ramp time is mitigated (e.g., eliminated) by closing the valve through which vapor is drawn and opening an equivalent access valve to the other chamber. Valves 1 (V1 ) 34 and 4 (V4) 40 are opened. Chamber 1 12 is drawn to a lower pressure (e.g., target of 30 mBar) by configuring the operation of the vacuum compressor 52 and the air purge pump 54 in series mode, expelling residual noncondensable gases to the ambient environment at atmospheric pressure. Water vapor is not being routed to the condenser 56. An example duration is approximately 15 seconds.

[0109]

[0099] State 9 (FIG. 10) - vacuum recovery:

[0110]

[0100] State Table Docket No. 600701-2020

[0111]

[0101] In state 9, the chambers 12,14 are equalized, and preparations for commencement of desorption are made. In one embodiment, potential vacuum energy is recovered by opening valve 2 (V2) 36 and 5 (V5) 50 and closing valve 4 (V4) 40, thereby equalizing the vacuum pressure between the two sealed chambers 12, 14, e.g., equalizing to about 25 millibar. Both the air purge pump 54 and the vacuum compressor 52 continue to operate. An example duration is approximately 5 seconds.

[0112]

[0102] State 10 (FIG. 11 ) - chamber isolation:

[0113]

[0103] State Table

[0114]

[0104] Chambers 1 and 2 are isolated so as to not be able to equalize pressure between them, with both the vacuum compressor 52 and air purge pump 54 active. Valve 2 (V2) 36 is opened. The doors to both chambers remain sealed. An example duration is approximately 5 seconds. Docket No. 600701-2020

[0115]

[0105] Valve SV2 24 is opened briefly to allow ambient air to enter into chamber 2 14 and to allow for chamber 2 14 to equalize to the ambient atmospheric pressure to allow for ease of opening of the doors of chamber 2 14. With the doors of chamber 2 14 opened, air may then be entrained, and hence the adsorption cycle of chamber 2 14 is initiated. The doors of chamber 1 12 remain sealed, and the desorption cycle of chamber 1 12 continues in repeating operational fashion similar to state 1 of chamber 2 14 but configured for the opposite chamber. Valves SV1 22 and SV2 24, in one embodiment, may be solenoid valves, biased into a normally closed state when not powered open for the brief period of equalization to the ambient atmospheric pressure.

[0116]

[0106] The states 1 -10 enable the continuance of the active desorption cycle of the chamber 2 14 nearing completion of its desorption cycle, while overlapping the discontinuance of the adsorption cycle of the other chamber (chamber 1 12). FIG. 12 illustrates that the states outlined above are repeated for the opposite chamber with the corresponding valve state modifications, beginning with the state table below.

[0117]

[0107] State Table

[0118]

[0108] The method described above in association with states 1 -10 may be advantageous whenever the kinetics of desorption are slower than the kinetics of the adsorption cycle, wherein the overlapping of desorption avails for greater time of Docket No. 600701-2020 desorption per unit of time lapsed, assuring a higher degree of desorption capacity and greater latent energy and water vapor harvesting. If the kinetics of a desorption half cycle are faster than the kinetics of an adsorption half cycle, as may occur with low humidity climatic conditions, then the system 10 may favor being operated where the overlapping desorption cycle is shortened or curtailed to better match the completion of the slower adsorption half cycle.

[0119]

[0109] As to the flow of thermal transfer fluids, any and all combinations and permutations of flows of the thermal transfer fluids to and from heat exchangers are preferred that realize from cooler to warmer sources for deriving the warmest flow into the desorbing contactors; and the opposite holds for inlet flows to the condense with flows towards cooler sources to the condenser being preferred, unless the condenser is being operated to provide a high temperature of condensing operation, such as for domestic hot water or space heating applications which heated fluids deriving the heat exchange.

[0120]

[0110] Having described certain embodiments of a latent energy and water harvesting system, and in view of the above description, it should be appreciated that one embodiment of a method 100 of harvesting thermal energy and water from an airstream is disclosed. As shown in FIG. 13, the method 100 comprises: Receiving a flow of water vapor containing air over a first heat exchanging contactor contained in a chamber in a non-sealed state, the first heat exchanging contactor coated with an adsorbent material that adsorbs water vapor (102); desorbing water vapor from a second heat exchanging contactor coated with an adsorbent material and contained in a chamber in a sealed state under a partial vacuum (104); exchanging thermal energy between the first heat exchanging contactor and the second heat exchanging contactor, wherein heat gained by heat of adsorption in the first heat exchanging contactor transferred to heat the second heat exchanging contactor to aid desorption, wherein heat consumed due to the heat of desorption in the second heat exchanging contactor is transferred to cool the first heat exchanging contactor to aid adsorption (106); drawing a vacuum in the sealed chamber to pull air out and desorb, compress, and heat the water vapor (108); condensing water vapor in a condenser under a partial vacuum (110); recovering heat of condensation and liquid condensate from the water vapor in Docket No. 600701-2020 the condenser (112); and repeating the method with the first heat exchanging contactor used for desorbing in a sealed-state and the second heat exchanging contactor used for adsorbing in a non-sealed state (114).

[0121]

[0111] Continuing further the above method 100, wherein heat in addition to the heat of adsorption is supplied to the desorbing contactors by transfer of the heat of vaporization from the condenser and I or by transferring the operational heat from the vacuum compressor and / or the operational heat of the air purge pump to warm the desorbing contactors.

[0122]

[0112] Continuing yet further the above method 100, wherein heat is supplied to the desorbing contactors by transfer of yet additional heat sources, to further supplement the transfer of the heat of vaporization from the condenser and / or the operational heat of the compressor.

[0123]

[0113] Having described certain embodiments of a latent energy and water harvesting system, and in view of the above description, it should be appreciated that yet another embodiment of a method 200 of harvesting thermal energy and water from an airstream is disclosed. The method 200, as shown in FIG. 14, comprises: receiving a flow of water vapor containing air over a first heat exchanging contactor contained in a chamber in a non-sealed state, the first heat exchanging contactor coated with an adsorbent material that adsorbs water vapor (202); desorbing water vapor from a second heat exchanging contactor coated with an adsorbent material and contained in a chamber in a sealed state under a partial vacuum (204); exchanging thermal energy from the condenser, the compressor, the air purge pump, and / or an additional heat source by transferring heat to the second heat exchanging contactor to aid desorption, wherein heat consumed due to the heat of desorption in the second heat exchanging contactor is transferred to cool the condenser’s heat of vaporization, the operational heat of the compressor, the operational heat of the air purge pump, and / or an additional heat source into the second heat exchanging contactor to aid adsorption (206); drawing a vacuum in the sealed chamber to pull air out and desorb, compress, and heat the water vapor (208); condensing water vapor in a condenser under a partial vacuum (210); recovering heat of condensation and liquid condensate from the water vapor in the condenser (212); and repeating the method with the first heat exchanging contactor Docket No. 600701-2020 used for desorbing in a sealed-state and the second heat exchanging contactor used for adsorbing in a non-sealed state (214).

[0124]

[0114] Having described certain embodiments of a latent energy and water harvesting system, and in view of the above description, it should be appreciated that yet another embodiment of a method 300 of harvesting thermal energy and water from an airstream is disclosed. As shown in FIG. 15, the method 300 includes operating one or more adsorbent-coated contactors among one or more chambers in an adsorbing process (302); operating one or more adsorbent-coated contactors among one or more chambers in a desorbing process (304); and selectively thermally connecting between one or any contactor from the one or more chambers to an external heat source or selectively thermally connecting between one or any contactor from the one or more chambers to one or any other contactor from among the chambers regardless of a sealed or unsealed state of a connected chamber or chambers (306). Note that the method 300 does not constrain the chambers to be open or closed during thermal transfer. For instance, adsorption may be achieved among all adsorption chambers simultaneously, and desorb all chambers simultaneously, or selectively, using an external heat source(s).

[0125]

[0115] Note that in some method embodiments, some steps may be combined, adjusted in order, or performed consecutively or concurrently. Further, the methods described herein may be combined in a single system, or in some embodiments, may each be implemented exclusively in a respective system.

[0126]

[0116] Note that reference herein is made to a controller (see FIG. 1 ), though it should be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art that one or more controllers may be used to implement certain methods of control of the components of the system.

[0127]

[0117] Having described certain embodiments of a latent energy and water harvesting system, and with reference to at least FIGS. 1 -15, it should be appreciated that one example first embodiment of a latent energy and water harvesting system (hereinafter, for the description of the first embodiment, simply referred to as a first system) includes plural heat exchanging contactors, thermally coupled to enable thermal transfer, each heat exchanging contactor enclosed in a chamber among a plurality of chambers, each chamber comprising sealable doors respectively Docket No. 600701-2020 surrounding an inlet and outlet of the chamber, each chamber capable of having a sealed state and a non-sealed state, each chamber having a valve to selectively enable a sealed chamber to be exposed to ambient air pressure to equilibrate the chamber with the ambient air pressure, wherein the plural heat exchanging contactors are coated with an adsorbent material formulated to selectively adsorb certain gas molecules in an airstream and desorb the same gas molecules under a partial pressure vacuum; wherein the thermal transfer involves an exchange of heat of adsorption and heat of desorption between at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as an adsorbing heat exchanging contactor enclosed in one of the chambers in the nonsealed state and at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as a desorbing heat exchanging contactor in another of the chambers in the sealed state; wherein a seal for the at least one chamber in the sealed state allows less than atmospheric pressure to be applied to the at least one chamber while in the sealed state; and wherein a chamber in the non-sealed state is open to atmospheric pressure to expose an airstream to each heat exchanging contactor; an optional purge pump, vacuum reservoir, or vacuum source, wherein the partial pressure vacuum applied to the at least one chamber in the sealed state is derived by the purge pump optional purge pump, vacuum reservoir, or vacuum source configured to transfer air from the at least one chamber in the sealed state to an ambient pressure environment; an optional condenser configured to collect thermal energy and liquid condensate from condensing gas molecules; a vacuum compressor configured to pump gas from the at least one chamber in the sealed state to the condenser while providing a compression ratio sufficient to raise pressure in the condenser to greater than saturation pressure; thermal transfer fluid; one or more fluid pumps configured to cause flow of the thermal transfer fluid to and between the heat exchanging contactors; one or more controllers configured to receive signals of operational parameters of the latent energy and water harvesting system and to send signals to control components of the system according to the operational parameters of the latent energy and water harvesting system; and a motor assembly including a motor operable to drive the vacuum compressor at a given rotational or linear speed and / or mass flow rate. Docket No. 600701-2020

[0128]

[0118] The example first system may include any one or combination of the following features.

[0129]

[0119] For the first system, a method of operation of the system of the preceding claim, where at least two chambers are thermally coupled with a fluid carrying conduit connecting the plural chambers to enable thermal transfer by enabling transfer of heat of adsorption accumulated by the coated heat exchanging contactors of the open chambers to the coated heat exchanging contactors of the closed chambers to assist the desorption of the gas molecules and to enable transfer of heat of desorption to the open chambers to assist the adsorption of the gas molecules.

[0130]

[0120] For the first system, the method of operation of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising thermally coupling one chamber in the adsorbing state with more than one chamber in the desorbing state.

[0131]

[0121] For the first system, the method of operation of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising thermally coupling one chamber in the desorbing state with more than one chamber in the adsorbing state.

[0132]

[0122] For the first system, the method of operation of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising selectively thermally coupling adsorbing and desorbing chambers based on relative humidity conditions of an inlet airstream of the adsorbing chamber.

[0133]

[0123] For the first system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid is passed in a series pathway through all of the heat exchanging contactors in the at least one chamber in the adsorbing state in series before being transferred into all of the heat exchanging contactors in the at least one chamber in the desorbing state in a similar series pathway.

[0134]

[0124] For the first system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid series pathway through each of the at least one chamber in the adsorbing state is from a heat exchanging contactor in back of the chamber relative to an air stream through each consecutive heat exchanging contactor to the heat exchanging contactor in front of the chamber relative to the air stream.

[0135]

[0125] For the first system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid pathway through each of the at least one chamber in Docket No. 600701-2020 the adsorbing state is from the heat exchanging contactor in back of the chamber relative to the air stream immediately followed by the heat exchanging contactor in front of the chamber relative to the air stream immediately followed by the second heat exchanging contactor from back of the air stream immediately followed by the second heat exchanging contactor from front of the air stream pattern continued until the method of heat exchange has passed through all heat exchanging contactors in the chamber.

[0136]

[0126] For the first system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid is passed back and forth between a chamber in the adsorbing state and a chamber in the desorbing state, wherein a fluid path follows from a first contactor in the adsorbing chamber to the first contactor in the desorbing chamber to the second contactor in the adsorbing chamber to the second contactor in the desorbing chamber, wherein such a progressive pattern is continued until heat exchange has passed through all heat exchanging contactors in the chambers.

[0137]

[0127] For the first system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a thermal transfer mechanism that can exchange heat of condensation from the condenser and at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as a desorbing heat exchanging contactor in a chamber in a sealed state.

[0138]

[0128] For the first system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a thermal transfer mechanism that can switch between an exchange of the heat of adsorption and the heat of desorption between at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as an adsorbing heat exchanging contactor enclosed in the chamber in a non-sealed state and at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as a desorbing heat exchanging contactor in a chamber in a sealed state, and an exchange of the heat of condensation from the condenser and at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as a desorbing heat exchanging contactor in a chamber in a sealed state.

[0139]

[0129] For the first system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a thermal transfer mechanism which can switch between a first configuration of an exchange of the heat of adsorption and the heat of desorption between at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as an adsorbing heat exchanger Docket No. 600701-2020 contactor enclosed in the chamber in a non-sealed state and at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as a desorbing heat exchanging contactor in a chamber in sealed state, and a second configuration of an exchange of the heat of compression from the vacuum compressor and at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as a desorbing heat exchanging contactors in a chamber in a sealed state.

[0140]

[0130] For the first system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a thermal transfer mechanism that combines the heat of adsorption and heat of desorption between at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as an adsorbing heat exchanging contactor enclosed in the chamber in a non-sealed state and the heat from a heat exchange loop flowing through the condenser and the vacuum compressor in any order before thermal exchange with the at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as a desorbing heat exchanging contactor in a chamber in a sealed state.

[0141]

[0131] For the first system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a thermal fluid transfer loop wherein the heat of adsorption from at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as an adsorbing heat exchanging contactor enclosed in a chamber in a non-sealed state is split between a fluid transfer loop that has a portion that flows to the condenser and a remaining portion that flows to the vacuum compressor and which split flow of fluid is rejoined before thermal exchange with the at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as a desorbing heat exchanging contactor in a chamber in a sealed state.

[0142]

[0132] Having described certain embodiments of a latent energy and water harvesting system, and with reference to at least FIGS. 1 -15, it should be appreciated that one example second embodiment of a latent energy and water harvesting system (hereinafter, for the description of the second embodiment, simply referred to as a second system) includes plural heat exchanging contactors, thermally coupled to enable thermal transfer, each heat exchanging contactor enclosed in a chamber among a plurality of chambers, each chamber comprising sealable doors respectively surrounding an inlet and outlet of the chamber, each chamber capable of having a sealed state and a non-sealed state, each chamber having a valve to selectively enable Docket No. 600701-2020 a sealed chamber to be exposed to ambient air pressure to equilibrate the chamber with the ambient air pressure, wherein the plural heat exchanging contactors are coated with an adsorbent material formulated to selectively adsorb certain gas molecules in an airstream and desorb the same gas molecules under a partial pressure vacuum; wherein adsorbing heat exchanging contactors are thermally decoupled from transferring heat to desorbing heat exchanging contactors; wherein heat of adsorption of the adsorbing heat exchanging contactors is selectively thermally coupled to dissipate the heat of adsorption to a heat sink other than the desorbing heat exchanging contactor; wherein a seal for the at least one chamber in the sealed state allows less than atmospheric pressure to be applied to the at least one chamber while in the sealed state; wherein a chamber in the non-sealed state is open to atmospheric pressure to expose an airstream to each heat exchanging contactor; a purge pump, wherein the partial pressure vacuum applied to the at least one chamber in the sealed state is derived by a purge pump which transfers air from the at least one chamber in the sealed state to an ambient pressure environment; a condenser configured to collect thermal energy and liquid condensate from condensing gas molecules; a vacuum compressor designed to pump gas from the at least one chamber in the sealed state to the condenser while providing a compression ratio sufficient to raise vapor pressure in the condenser to greater than saturation pressure; thermal transfer fluid; one or more fluid pumps configured to cause flow of the thermal transfer fluid to and between the heat exchanging contactors; one or more controllers configured to receive signals of the operational parameters of the latent energy and water harvesting system and to send signals to control components of the system according to the operational parameters of the system; a motor assembly including a motor operable to drive the vacuum compressor at a given rotational or linear speed and / or mass flow rate.

[0143]

[0133] The example second system may include any one or combination of the following features.

[0144]

[0134] For the second system, the system of the preceding claim, further comprising a thermal transfer mechanism that can exchange heat of condensation from the condenser and at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as a desorbing heat exchanging contactor in a chamber in a sealed state. Docket No. 600701-2020

[0145]

[0135] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein a cooling thermal transfer fluid entering the adsorbing contactors flows in a parallel pathway to and through individual contactors that are in an adsorbing state.

[0146]

[0136] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein a warming thermal transfer fluid entering the desorbing contactors flows in a parallel pathway to and through individual contactors that are in a desorbing state.

[0147]

[0137] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the condenser is cooled by being thermally coupled to an outlet for the cooled thermal transfer fluid from the desorbing contactors.

[0148]

[0138] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the desorbing contactors are thermally coupled to a thermal energy heat source that has a dry bulb temperature that is warmer than a dry bulb temperature of the thermal transfer fluid at a thermal transfer fluid outlet of the condenser.

[0149]

[0139] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the desorbing heat exchange contactors are thermally coupled to one or more thermal energy heat source(s) that has more magnitude of thermal energy than the heat of desorption of the desorbing heat exchange contactors and which magnitude of thermal energy is of a higher dry bulb temperature than a dry bulb temperature of the thermal transfer fluid at an outlet of the condenser.

[0150]

[0140] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid entering the desorbing contactors is warmed by a discharge of compressed vapor from the compressor of a refrigerant condensing system before causing the flow of the thermal transfer fluid to the desorbing contactors.

[0151]

[0141] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid entering the desorbing contactors is warmed by the heat within the compressor of a refrigerant compressor before flowing the warmed thermal transfer fluid to the desorbing contactors.

[0152]

[0142] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a refrigerant vapor compression system, wherein if a thermal load of the refrigerant vapor compression system is greater than the heat of desorption of the desorbing heat exchange contactors then the desorbing heat exchange contactors are Docket No. 600701-2020 warmed by heat transfer from the heat from the refrigerant compressor and the refrigerant condenser of the refrigerant vapor compression system.

[0153]

[0143] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more refrigerant vapor compression systems, wherein if the heat of desorption of the desorbing contactors is greater than a thermal load of a refrigerant vapor compression system than the thermal energy of more than one refrigerant vapor compression systems is transferred and infused into the desorbing heat exchange contactors.

[0154]

[0144] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid that exits the desorbing contactors is further cooled by a heat dissipating mechanism before transferring to a coolant fluid entry of the condenser.

[0155]

[0145] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid entering the desorbing contactors is warmed by a solar thermal source.

[0156]

[0146] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid entering the desorbing contactors is warmed by the heat from a combustion or a combustion exhaust source.

[0157]

[0147] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid entering the desorbing contactors is warmed by the thermal energy from a distributive district heating network.

[0158]

[0148] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid entering the desorbing contactors is warmed by heat derived from an industrial or commercial process.

[0159]

[0149] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid entering the desorbing contactors is warmed by a heat derived from a nuclear fission or fusion reaction.

[0160]

[0150] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid entering the desorbing contactors is warmed by a heat derived from a geothermal resource. Docket No. 600701-2020

[0161]

[0151] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid entering the desorbing contactors is warmed by a heat derived from a water source.

[0162]

[0152] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid entering the desorbing contactor is warmed by a heat derived from an exothermic reaction.

[0163]

[0153] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the desorbing heat exchange contactors are warmed by a thermal transfer from a heat source to a temperature greater than a dry bulb temperature of the airstream that is entrained into the adsorbing chamber.

[0164]

[0154] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid that cools the condenser is cooled by heat exchange with evaporate of a refrigerant vapor compression system.

[0165]

[0155] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid that cools the adsorbing heat exchange contactors is cooled by heat exchange with evaporate of a refrigerant vapor compression system.

[0166]

[0156] For the second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal transfer fluid that cools the vacuum compressor configured as a vacuum compressor is cooled by heat exchange with evaporate of a refrigerant vapor compression system.

[0167]

[0157] The example first and second system may each include any one or combination of the following features.

[0168]

[0158] For the first or second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the valves of the chambers are configured to controllably regulate vacuum pressure and vapor flow within the components of the system that are capable of operating within partial pressure and which the valves are controllable to receive signals to actuate, from the one or more controllers, the operational parameters of the system.

[0169]

[0159] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the valves of the chambers are configured to controllably regulate thermal transfer fluid flow direction within the components of the system that are capable of Docket No. 600701-2020 having thermal transfer fluid flows and which the valves are controllable to receive signals to actuate, from the one or more controllers, the operational parameters of the system.

[0170]

[0160] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising pressure sensors, wherein the pressure sensors are configured within the components that are capable of operating in partial pressure and which the pressure sensors can send signals to the one or more controllers according to the operational parameters of the system.

[0171]

[0161] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising temperature sensors, wherein the temperature sensors are configured within one or a combination of airstreams and thermal transfer fluid streams and which the temperature sensors can send signals to the one or more controllers according to the operational parameters of the system.

[0172]

[0162] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising humidity sensors, wherein the humidity sensors are configured within airstreams located upstream, within stream, and / or downstream of the system and which humidity sensors can send signals to the one or more controllers according to the operational parameters of the system.

[0173]

[0163] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising fan(s) and / or blower(s) used to induce an airstream in contact with at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as an adsorbing heat exchanging contactor enclosed in the chamber in a non-sealed state.

[0174]

[0164] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising airflow meter(s), wherein the airflow meter(s) are configured within the airstreams located upstream, within stream, and / or downstream of the system and which airflow meter(s) can send signals to the one or more controllers according to the operational parameters of the system.

[0175]

[0165] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising thermal transfer fluid flow meter(s), wherein the thermal transfer fluid flow meter(s) are configured within thermal transfer fluid flow conduits of the system and Docket No. 600701-2020 which the thermal transfer fluid flow meters can send signals to the one or more controllers according to the operational parameters of the system.

[0176]

[0166] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the motor is a permanent magnet motor.

[0177]

[0167] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a variable speed drive connected to the compressor motor, the variable speed drive being configured to receive a command signal from the one or more controllers and to generate a control signal that drives the compressor motor at the given rotational or linear speed, wherein the variable speed drive is configured to vary the rotational speed of the compressor motor in response to the command signal.

[0178]

[0168] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a volume control assembly of the vacuum compressor that is configured to receive a command signal from the one or more controllers and adjust at least one volume control member of a vacuum compressor to vary a volume ratio of the com pressor from a first condition to a second condition in response to operational parameters of the system.

[0179]

[0169] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vacuum compressor is a variable volume flow vacuum compressor.

[0180]

[0170] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vacuum swing compressor is a variable speed vacuum compressor.

[0181]

[0171] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vacuum swing compressor is a variable volume flow and variable speed vacuum compressor.

[0182]

[0172] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a pump connected to a liquid collection chamber of the condenser, wherein liquid water and non-condensable gas can be pumped out of the condenser to an ambient pressure outflow.

[0183]

[0173] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a controllable valve configured to share vacuum and enable a selective drawing of an equilibrium partial vacuum between a lower pressure and a Docket No. 600701-2020 higher pressure chamber(s) when the doors are closed to each of the chamber(s) that are in the sealed state.

[0184]

[0174] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an air purge pump that is configured to extract gases out from a sealed chamber to a lower pressure within the sealed chamber to a pressure that is lower than the ambient pressure than the sealed chamber before the chamber was first sealed.

[0185]

[0175] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a vacuum compressor and an air purge pump arranged to be operated in series to speed pressure reduction and I or to reach a lower pressure of a chamber in the sealed state.

[0186]

[0176] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system is configured such that the vacuum compressor and an air purge pump are configured to be switched to be run in series or to be switched to enable independent access and pumping down the gaseous pressure within the chamber to different sealed chambers.

[0187]

[0177] For the first or second system, a method of operation comprising a method of operating the system of any one of the preceding claims, the method of operation comprising drawing down pressure of at least one adsorbed chamber in the sealed state prior to equilibrating pressures between at least two chambers by vacuum sharing with at least one other desorbed chamber wherein the pressure in the at least one adsorbed chamber is drawn down from a higher pressure to a lower pressure with the purge pump while the vacuum compressor simultaneously continues to compress water vapor into the condenser to continue desorbing the contactors of at least one other chamber.

[0188]

[0178] For the first or second system, the method of operation of the preceding claims, further comprising operating the vacuum compressor and purge pump in series to further draw down the pressure of the at least one adsorbed chamber to an even lower pressure prior to vacuum sharing with at least one other desorbed chamber.

[0189]

[0179] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a thermal transfer mechanism which combines the heat of Docket No. 600701-2020 condensation from the condenser and thence the heat of compression from the compressor, in that order, before thermal exchange with the at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as a desorbing heat exchanging contactor in a chamber in a sealed state.

[0190]

[0180] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein a number of chambers operating in an adsorbing state differs from a number of chambers operating in a desorbing state.

[0191]

[0181] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein a number of chambers operating in an adsorbing state exceeds a number of chambers operating in a desorbing state.

[0192]

[0182] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein a number of chambers operating in an adsorbing state is less than a number of chambers operating in a desorbing state.

[0193]

[0183] For the first or second system, a method of operating a system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein when there is more than one chamber operating in an adsorbing state and one chamber operating in a desorbing state, a timing sequence of initiation and completion of each chamber is staggered so as to be shifted approximately within respective adsorbing or desorbing half cycle of operation by a factor of one divided by a number of chambers operating within their adsorbing and one divided by a number of chambers operating in their desorbing state.

[0194]

[0184] For the first or second system, the method of operating the system of any one of the preceding claims, comprising selectively opening a valve to enable the sealed chamber to be exposed to ambient air pressure to equilibrate the chamber with the ambient atmospheric pressure to allow for the seals of a sealed chamber to become unsealed.

[0195]

[0185] For the first or second system, the method of operating the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vacuum compressor comprises a variable volume flow vacuum compressor, wherein the variable volume flow vacuum compressor is operated at a variable speed adequate to complete a desorption cycle of the chamber that is sealed by a determined period of time. Docket No. 600701-2020

[0196]

[0186] For the first or second system, method of operating the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vacuum compressor comprises a variable volume flow vacuum compressor, wherein the variable volume flow vacuum compressor is operated at a variable speed adequate to achieve saturation in the condenser at a determined temperature of condensation.

[0197]

[0187] For the first or second system, method for operating the system of any one of the preceding claims, comprising: a controller receiving operational signals relating to operating parameters of the system; the controller determining and sending a command signal to a volume control assembly to adjust at least one volume control member of a vacuum compressor to vary a volume ratio of the compressor from a first condition to a second condition in response to the operational parameters of the system.

[0198]

[0188] For the first or second system, method for operating the system of any one of the preceding claims, comprising: a controller receiving operational signals relating to operating parameters of the system; the controller determining and sending a command signal to a volume control assembly to adjust at least one volume control member of a vacuum compressor to vary a volume ratio of the compressor from a first condition to a second condition in response to the operational parameters of the system; and the controller determining and sending a command signal to a variable speed drive to operate the motor of the vacuum compressor at variable speed to vary the volume flow rate in response to the operational parameters of the system.

[0199]

[0189] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a third heat source that provides additional heat into the system.

[0200]

[0190] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the additional heat comprises waste heat.

[0201]

[0191] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising transferring the heat generated into a heat-adsorbing process.

[0202]

[0192] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heat-adsorbing process includes at least one of a cold side of a DX exchange system, or a chemical reaction. Docket No. 600701-2020

[0203]

[0193] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising coupling the heat-adsorbing reaction components and the heatgenerating reaction components to the cold and hot side of a heat pump or DX vapor compression system.

[0204]

[0194] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising utilizing a non-equal number of chambers.

[0205]

[0195] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising using the desorbing chamber as a heat sink for one or more separate, uncoupled processes.

[0206]

[0196] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising adding a second set of chambers downstream of the first set of chambers, such that flow is directed through adsorbing chamber A, and then through adsorbing chamber B.

[0207]

[0197] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising transferring heat out of the system for beneficial purposes.

[0208]

[0198] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising transferring heat into the system.

[0209]

[0199] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transferring of heat into the system reduces an electrical requirement to produce water.

[0210]

[0200] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising adding an optional vacuum reservoir, such that there is a central vacuum system, and transferring the central vacuum to a chamber entering desorbing, wherein the transfer enables the chamber to move quickly from ambient vacuum to the target vacuum, wherein the vacuum reservoir has significantly larger capacity and experiences lower change in absolute pressures.

[0211]

[0201] For the first or second system, the system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising adding a hot-side and / or a cold-side reservoir such that a thermal storage capacity of a hot reservoir and / or a cold reservoir may be employed to improve system performance. Docket No. 600701-2020

[0212]

[0202] For the first or second system, system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein sizing of the hot reservoir and / or a cold reservoir is not equal.

[0213]

[0203] In this description, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “embodiments” mean that the feature or features being referred to are included in at least one embodiment of the technology. Separate references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “embodiments” in this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and are also not mutually exclusive unless so stated and / or except as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. For example, a feature, structure, act, etc. described in one embodiment may also be included in other embodiments, but is not necessarily included. Thus, the present technology can include a variety of combinations and / or integrations of the embodiments described herein. Although the systems and methods have been described with reference to the example embodiments illustrated in the attached drawing figures, it is noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the disclosure as protected by the following claims. Also, any reference numbers shown in the claims are for illustrative purposes, and do not limit the claim terms to the reference shown parenthetically in the claims.

[0214] Docket No. 600701-2020

[0215] CLAIMS

[0216] At least the following is claimed:

[0217] 1 . A latent energy and water harvesting system (10), comprising: at least one heat exchanging contactor (16, 18) enclosed in a chamber (10, 12) and thermally couplable to selectively enable thermal transfer between an external heat source (56, 58) or between at least one other heat exchanging contactor (16, 18) enclosed in a chamber (10, 12) among a plurality of chambers containing heat exchanging contactors, each chamber comprising sealable doors respectively surrounding an inlet and outlet of the chamber, each chamber capable of having a sealed state and a non-sealed state, each heat exchanging contactor of each chamber fluidly connected to at least one valve (22, 24, 34, 36) to selectively enable any sealed chamber to be selectively exposed to ambient air pressure or air pressure from other chambers to equilibrate each chamber with the ambient air pressure or air pressure from other chambers, wherein the at least one heat exchanging contactor is coated with an adsorbent material formulated to selectively adsorb certain gas molecules in an airstream flowing through any chamber in a non-sealed state and desorb the same gas molecules under a partial pressure vacuum in any chamber in a sealed state, wherein the thermal transfer involves an exchange of heat between at least one heat exchanging contactor and the external heat source or between at least one heat exchanging contactor and any other of the plural heat exchanging contactors enclosed in any of the other chambers, whether any chamber is in the non-sealed state or in the sealed state, wherein a seal for any of at least one chamber in the sealed state allows less than atmospheric pressure to be applied to at least one chamber while in the sealed state, and wherein any of the at least one chamber in the non-sealed state is open to atmospheric pressure to expose an airstream to the at least one heat exchanging contactor contained in the at least one chamber; and

Claims

Docket No. 600701-2020 an optional fixed or variable speed vacuum compressor (52) configured to draw gas from the at least one chamber in the sealed state to a condenser (56) while providing a variable compression ratio sufficient to raise pressure in the condenser to greater than saturation pressure.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one valve fluidly connected to any of the chambers is configured to controllably regulate vacuum pressure and vapor flow within components of the system that are capable of operating within partial pressure and which the at least one valve is controllable to receive signals to actuate, from one or more controllers (74), the operational parameters of the system.

3. The system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or a combination of pressure sensors (76), temperature sensors (76), or humidity sensors (76), wherein the pressure sensors are configured within components of the system that are capable of operating in partial pressure and which the pressure sensors are detectable by one or more controllers (74), wherein the temperature sensors are configured within one or a combination of airstreams and thermal transfer fluid streams and which the temperature sensors are detectable by the one or more controllers according to the operational parameters of the system, wherein the humidity sensors are configured within airstreams located upstream, within stream, and / or downstream of the system and which humidity sensors can send signals to the one or more controllers.

4. The system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a purge pump (54), vacuum reservoir, or vacuum source, wherein the partial pressure vacuum is applied to at least one chamber in the sealed state.

5. The system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a condenser (56) configured to collect thermal energy and liquid condensate from condensing gas molecules.Docket No. 600701-20206. The system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising fan(s) and / or blower(s) (64) used to induce an airstream in contact with at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as an adsorbing heat exchanging contactor enclosed in the chamber in a non-sealed state.

7. The system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or any combination of airflow meter(s) or one or more fluid pumps (78) configured to cause flow of the thermal transfer fluid between heat exchanging components, wherein the airflow meter(s) are configured within the airstreams located upstream, within stream, and / or downstream of the system and which airflow meter(s) can send signals to the one or more controllers according to the operational parameters of the system, wherein the thermal transfer fluid flow meter(s) are configured within thermal transfer fluid flow conduits of the system and which the thermal transfer fluid flow meters can send signals to the one or more controllers according to the operational parameters of the system.

8. The system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more fluid pumps (66) configured to cause flow of the thermal transfer fluid between heat exchanging components.

9. The system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a pump (92) connected to a liquid collection chamber (66) of a condenser (56), wherein liquid water and non-condensable gas can be pumped out of the condenser to an ambient pressure outflow.

10. The system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a controllable valve (34, 36) configured to share vacuum and enable a selective drawing of an equilibrium partial vacuum between any one or more of the plural chambers at a lower pressure and any one or more of the plural chambers at a higher pressure when the doors of any one or more of the plural chambers are in the sealed state.Docket No. 600701-202011 . The system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a thermal transfer mechanism that can exchange heat of condensation from a condenser (56) and at least one heat exchanging contactor.

12. The system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a thermal transfer mechanism that can switch between an exchange of the heat of adsorption and the heat of desorption between at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as an adsorbing heat exchanging contactor enclosed in the chamber in a nonsealed state and at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as a desorbing heat exchanging contactor in a chamber in a sealed state, and an exchange of the heat of condensation from the condenser and at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as a desorbing heat exchanging contactor in a chamber in a sealed state.

13. The system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a thermal transfer mechanism which can switch between a first configuration of an exchange of the heat of adsorption and the heat of desorption between at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as an adsorbing heat exchanger contactor enclosed in the chamber in a non-sealed state and at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as a desorbing heat exchanging contactor in a chamber in sealed state, and a second configuration of an exchange of the heat of compression from the vacuum compressor and at least one of the plural heat exchanging contactors acting as a desorbing heat exchanging contactors in a chamber in a sealed state.

14. The system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a mechanism to connect any one or more of the heat exchanging contactors to an external heat source that provides additional heat into the system.

15. The system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more controllers (74) configured to receive signals of operational parameters of the latent energy and water harvesting system and to send signals to control components of theDocket No. 600701-2020 system according to the operational parameters of the latent energy and water harvesting system.

16. A method (300), comprising: operating one or more adsorbent-coated contactors among one or more chambers in an adsorbing process (302); operating one or more adsorbent-coated contactors among one or more chambers in a desorbing process (304); and selectively thermally connecting between one or any contactor from the one or more chambers to an external heat source or selectively thermally connecting between one or any contactor from the one or more chambers to one or any other contactor from among the chambers regardless of a sealed or unsealed state of a connected chamber or chambers (306).

Images