Split-System Dehumidifier with Heat Recovery to Reduce Cooling Load

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional dehumidifiers increase the temperature of air by removing latent heat, leading to higher loads on cooling systems and 'hot spots' in warm climates, as they add sensible heat before reintroducing dehumidified air.

Innovation Solution

A split system dehumidifier that uses an evaporator unit to cool air without increasing its temperature, utilizing a subcooler unit to manage refrigerant flow and maintain humidity levels, allowing the system to operate as both a dehumidifier and a cooling system without raising the air temperature.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional dehumidifiers remove latent heat from air, then humidity is reduced, but temperature increases and cooling load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovehumidityVSAvoidair temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the dehumidification process into two separate heat exchange stages: first the evaporator removes latent heat and condenses moisture, then the subcooler recovers heat from the refrigerant to reheat the air. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each stage to avoid the temperature increase problem of conventional single-stage systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The subcooler acts as an intermediary heat exchange device between the cold refrigerant and the dehumidified air. It recovers heat from the subcooling process and transfers it to the air, effectively reheating the air after dehumidification without adding extra sensible heat, thus maintaining lower temperature while achieving desired humidity reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If conventional dehumidifiers add sensible heat to air, then dehumidification is achieved, but cooling system load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovehumidityVSAvoidcooling system load

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system converts the harmful cold energy in the refrigerant (which would otherwise be wasted) into a beneficial heat source for reheating the air. The subcooler captures the heat from the refrigerant during its subcooling process and uses it to reheat the dehumidified air, transforming a waste stream into a useful resource that reduces the need for additional heating energy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The system recovers heat energy that would otherwise be discarded during the refrigerant subcooling process. By using the subcooler to transfer heat from the refrigerant to the air, the system recovers this energy and puts it to useful purpose, reducing overall energy consumption and cooling system load.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Quantity of substance

If conventional dehumidifiers increase air temperature, then moisture is removed, but hot spots are created in warm climates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovehumidityVSAvoidhot spots

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the heat exchange processes in both the evaporator and subcooler to control the temperature profile of the air throughout the dehumidification process. By optimizing the heat transfer coefficients and flow rates, the system maintains more uniform air temperature distribution, preventing localized hot spots while still achieving effective moisture removal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 system effectively dehumidifies air without increasing its temperature, reducing the load on cooling systems and providing efficient humidity control in warm, humid climates.

Implementation Method 1

The evaporator unit generates a cooled airflow by facilitating heat transfer from the incoming airflow to the flow of refrigerant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

The subcooler unit generates an outgoing airflow by facilitating heat transfer from the flow of refrigerant to the cooled airflow

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS10473355B2Split system dehumidifier

Publication Date: 2019.11.12 THERMA STOR LLC

AI summary

A split-system dehumidifier includes an evaporator unit, a heat exchange unit, and a supply fan located inside a structure, and a remote condenser system located outside the structure. The evaporator unit receives a pre-cooled airflow and a flow of refrigerant, and generates a cooled airflow by facilitating heat transfer from the pre-cooled airflow to the flow of refrigerant. The heat exchange unit receives the cooled airflow generated by the evaporator unit and an incoming airflow from within the structure, and generates the pre-cooled airflow by facilitating heat transfer from the incoming airflow to the cooled airflow. The heat transfer transforms the received cooled airflow into an outgoing airflow having a relative humidity less than a relative humidity of the cooled airflow. The supply fan provides the outgoing airflow to inside the structure. The remote condenser system uses ambient air from outside the structure to cool the flow of refrigerant.