Variable desiccant control energy exchange system and method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional HVAC systems struggle to independently control humidity levels in different rooms or zones, often requiring significant energy to adjust temperature and humidity, and typically lower the air temperature to remove moisture, necessitating additional heating to achieve desired humidity levels.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a liquid-to-air membrane energy exchanger (LAMEE) with a desiccant circulation loop, allowing for the controlled variation of desiccant temperature and concentration to condition air, including a warm loop for concentrated desiccant and a cool loop for diluted desiccant, with a desiccant regeneration module and heat pump for efficient energy exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional HVAC systems cool air to dew point to remove moisture, then dehumidification is achieved, but air temperature becomes lower than desired and additional heating is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the dehumidification function from the traditional cooling process by using liquid desiccant that directly absorbs moisture from air through mass transfer, bypassing the need to cool air to dew point. This separates the moisture removal function from temperature reduction, allowing dehumidification without unwanted cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid desiccant acts as an intermediary substance between the air stream and the moisture removal process. The desiccant absorbs moisture from the air through its chemical properties rather than through cooling, serving as a mediator that enables dehumidification without requiring the air to be cooled to dew point temperatures.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional systems use high levels of energy to alter temperature and humidity, then conditioning is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the fundamental parameter for moisture removal from temperature-based (cooling to dew point) to concentration-based (desiccant strength). By varying desiccant concentration rather than air temperature, the system achieves more efficient humidity control with lower energy consumption, as desiccant can be regenerated at lower temperatures than traditional cooling methods require.
Solution Approach 2:
The desiccant solution is periodically regenerated by heating it to concentrate the desiccant back to its original strength after it has absorbed moisture. This periodic regeneration cycle allows continuous operation with reduced energy input compared to continuous cooling, as the desiccant can be regenerated at lower temperatures and the process can be optimized through cycling.
3Device complexity
If conventional systems cannot independently control humidity in different rooms, then system simplicity is maintained, but humidity control flexibility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the building into multiple independent zones, each with its own desiccant-based conditioning unit. This segmentation allows each room or zone to independently control its humidity levels by adjusting desiccant flow rates and concentrations locally, providing zone-specific humidity control while maintaining relatively simple individual unit designs that can be replicated throughout the building.
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
Enables independent control of temperature and humidity levels in enclosed structures, reducing energy consumption by avoiding the need to cool air to dew point for dehumidification and allowing for efficient humidification without high-temperature steam generation.
Implementation Method 1
a desiccant liquid flows between the LAMEEs in a run-around loop
Implementation Method 2
liquid desiccant circulating within a run-around loop
Implementation Method 3
heat exchange devices (for example, heat wheels, plate exchangers, heat-pipe exchangers and run-around heat exchangers)
Implementation Method 4
exchanging sensible and latent energy with the air
Implementation Method 5
exchanging sensible and latent energy with the air
Implementation Method 6
exchanging sensible and latent energy with the air
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for providing conditioned air to at least one enclosed structure. The system may include at least one conditioning module configured to provide conditioned air to the at least one enclosed structure. The conditioning module(s) may include a conditioning energy exchanger. The conditioning module(s) is configured to circulate desiccant through a desiccant circuit to condition air passing through the conditioning energy exchanger. The conditioning module(s) may be configured to receive at least one of concentrated desiccant or diluted desiccant in order to vary temperature or concentration of the desiccant circulating through the desiccant circuit.