Dehumidification system with variable capacity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional environmentally controlled (EC) rooms are limited in their application due to constraints on the ranges of conditions they can maintain, with HVAC components being inefficient outside preferred ranges and often counterproductive when operated simultaneously, leading to energy wastage and labor burdens.
Innovation Solution
A dehumidification system with modular coil sets that can be activated or deactivated to match varying moisture removal needs, using separate cooling and heating refrigerant circuits to maintain optimal efficiency across different capacities, allowing for flexible operation and reduced energy usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional HVAC components are operated outside their preferred range, then application flexibility is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The dehumidification system is divided into multiple independent modular coil sets, each capable of operating within its optimal efficiency range. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high energy efficiency while adapting to various dehumidification loads by activating only the necessary number of modules, thus resolving the contradiction between application flexibility and energy efficiency.
2Productivity
If multiple HVAC components operate simultaneously, then dehumidification capacity is improved, but energy waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the number of active modular coil sets based on the actual dehumidification load. The control system monitors conditions and activates or deactivates modules as needed, ensuring that dehumidification capacity matches demand without excessive energy consumption from simultaneously operating components.
3Ease of operation
If cooling coil cycles on and off, then temperature control is simplified, but dew point swings occur
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple modular coil sets enable continuous dehumidification operation without the need for on/off cycling. By distributing the dehumidification load across multiple modules, the system can maintain steady operation with stable dew point control while keeping the interface simple through automated module management.
4Power
If refrigeration capacity is selected for maximum loading, then peak capacity is improved, but reduced loading efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigeration capacity is segmented into multiple modular coil sets of smaller individual capacity. This allows the system to provide sufficient peak capacity when all modules operate together while maintaining high efficiency at reduced loads by activating only the necessary number of modules, eliminating the inefficiency of operating a single large-capacity system at partial load.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The modular dehumidification system enhances refrigerant and coil performance, reduces energy usage, and allows for efficient operation across a wide range of activities by selectively activating coils, thereby improving the capability, applicability, and flexibility of EC rooms while decreasing costs and labor burdens.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling refrigerant circuit that moves cooled refrigerant through the cooling coils to cool the air and/or dehumidify the air through condensation
Implementation Method 2
a heating refrigerant circuit that moves heated refrigerant through the heating coils to heat the air
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-use system for influencing organic matter in an environmentally controlled room is provided with a modular dehumidification system. The modular dehumidification system includes a head unit, with separate cooling and heating subcircuits, and multiple modular dehumidifier units. Each modular dehumidifier unit has a cooling coil operable to cool and/or dehumidify the air and a heating coil operable to heat the air, for example, to raise room temperature and/or offset heat loss arising during dehumidification. The cooling coils are connected to the head unit in parallel to one another and the heating coils are connected to the head unit in parallel to one another. The number of modular dehumidifier units installed in the system is selected to provide the system with the desired maximum capacity. The control system may be configured to activate the appropriate number of cooling and heating coils, and to control the operation of each active coil.