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WO2011028199A1 - Collecteurs d'eau atmosphérique avec pré-refroidissement variable - Google Patents

Collecteurs d'eau atmosphérique avec pré-refroidissement variable Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2011028199A1
WO2011028199A1 PCT/US2009/055737 US2009055737W WO2011028199A1 WO 2011028199 A1 WO2011028199 A1 WO 2011028199A1 US 2009055737 W US2009055737 W US 2009055737W WO 2011028199 A1 WO2011028199 A1 WO 2011028199A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
awh
air
cooling
heat exchanger
airflow passageway
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2009/055737
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
James W. Hill
Christopher G. Preston
Michael D. Max
Allen C. Hunter
Original Assignee
Marine Desalination Systems, Llc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Marine Desalination Systems, Llc filed Critical Marine Desalination Systems, Llc
Priority to PCT/US2009/055737 priority Critical patent/WO2011028199A1/fr
Publication of WO2011028199A1 publication Critical patent/WO2011028199A1/fr

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
    • E03B—INSTALLATIONS OR METHODS FOR OBTAINING, COLLECTING, OR DISTRIBUTING WATER
    • E03B3/00—Methods or installations for obtaining or collecting drinking water or tap water
    • E03B3/28—Methods or installations for obtaining or collecting drinking water or tap water from humid air
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D5/00—Condensation of vapours; Recovering volatile solvents by condensation
    • B01D5/0033—Other features
    • B01D5/0039—Recuperation of heat, e.g. use of heat pump(s), compression
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D5/00—Condensation of vapours; Recovering volatile solvents by condensation
    • B01D5/0033—Other features
    • B01D5/0051—Regulation processes; Control systems, e.g. valves
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D5/00—Condensation of vapours; Recovering volatile solvents by condensation
    • B01D5/0057—Condensation of vapours; Recovering volatile solvents by condensation in combination with other processes
    • B01D5/006—Condensation of vapours; Recovering volatile solvents by condensation in combination with other processes with evaporation or distillation
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02A20/00—Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use

Definitions

  • the invention relates to atmospheric moisture harvesting and improvements in the efficiency of condensing water from air and in apparatus relating thereto. More particularly, the invention provides improved energy efficient extraction of water from air, particularly in outdoor settings and over a range of relative humidity.
  • Atmospheric water harvesting is intended to produce water in the general vicinity of its place of use. Producing potable water near its place of use removes the requirement for either temporary or fixed water delivery systems such as pipelines and canals or temporary delivery systems such as bulk motorized water tankers. Production of high-quality water at or near its place of use is superior to transporting bottled drinking water, which requires substantial consumption of energy for delivery and waste disposal. Water harvesters are also superior environmentally because water bottle disposal is not an issue; water bottles are reused in conjunction with water harvesting. In addition, the water produced from suitably designed and operated water harvesters is pure and suitable and safe for drinking with very little treatment.
  • condensation of water is achieved by providing and maintaining a chilled surface upon which water from moist air condenses.
  • This is well known as a byproduct of chilling air, as in air conditioning systems in which chilling the air is the objective or in air dehumidification systems in which the objective is to achieve relative dryness of the exhaust air.
  • water produced as a byproduct in these systems is more expensive to produce than that which is produced in a water harvester apparatus that is optimized for energy efficient water production by not overcooling air or water.
  • byproduct water quality is generally not suitable for drinking, and can be dangerous, without additional treatment that is not provided for by an apparatus that does not have water production as a primary objective.
  • Water harvesting apparatus that has been specifically designed to produce water from air already exists (but without the efficiency and sophistication of this invention) which allows the production of water of the same or superior quality as bottled water but without the delivery or environmental waste issues and in quantities that are suitable for personal or family use on a regular and extended basis. Water harvesting provides high quality potable water without the continued cost of producing bottles directly in proportion to the quantity of water delivered, at a lower cost than bottled water.
  • the present invention provides improved apparatus and methods for condensing water from air. These improvements involve, but are not limited to, an improved water condenser, improved condenser airflow control, a variable speed air impeller, forced air or conductive cooling of all heat-producing parts of the system, new intake air controls, and provision for system-controlled on/off switching for the compressor.
  • the apparatus is robustly designed and constructed, is resistant to common handling vibration and shock, and is meant to be moved by hand locally although it may also be fixed.
  • the apparatus is intended for use either outdoors or indoors in a semi-autonomous mode, and where air quality is generally good. Water is pumped from a removable collection tank underneath the evaporator into which water has flowed by gravity, either directly or through a water treatment system to the user. Although the water exiting the water harvester has the character of distilled water and is very pure, for prolonged drinking of this water alone, some of the produced water should be remineralized.
  • Preferred embodiments are reconfigurable between at least two operational configurations such that to varying degrees incoming air may be pre-cooled, before it passes over a cooling member, by heat exchange with colder air that has already flowed over the cooling member.
  • FIG. 1 is schematic plan view of a first embodiment of an atmospheric water harvester according to the invention
  • FIGs. 2a and 2b are schematic side views of two alternative orientations, respectively, of a heat exchanger/evaporator used in an atmospheric water harvester according to the invention
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic plan views of second and third embodiments, respectively, of an atmospheric water harvester according to the invention, which second and third embodiments are generally similar to the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1 ;
  • Figs. 5 and 6 are schematic plan views of a fourth embodiment of an atmospheric water harvester according to the invention illustrating the atmospheric water harvester in two different operational configurations;
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic end view illustrating a variant of the embodiment of an atmospheric water harvester shown in Figs. 5 and 6;
  • FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view illustrating a variant of the embodiment of an atmospheric water harvester shown in Figs. 5 and 6;
  • FIGs. 9 and 10 are schematic views (either plan or side elevation; either orientation would be acceptable) of a fifth embodiment of an atmospheric water harvester according to the invention illustrating the atmospheric water harvester in two different operational configurations;
  • FIGs. 11 and 12 are schematic views (either plan or side elevation; either orientation would be acceptable) of a sixth embodiment of an atmospheric water harvester according to the invention illustrating the atmospheric water harvester in two different operational configurations;
  • FIGs. 13 and 14 are schematic diagrams illustrating so-called "split-condenser” refrigeration systems with the condensers arranged in parallel and in series, respectively, that can be incorporated into any of the atmospheric water harvester embodiments disclosed herein.
  • FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment 100 of an atmospheric water harvester (AWH) according to the invention.
  • the apparatus for drawing in and exhausting air and refrigeration causes water vapor to be condensed into liquid water within an enclosed apparatus so that it can be collected.
  • the apparatus 100 may be placed out-of-doors, where it is surrounded by moist air.
  • Ambient air 102 is drawn into the AWH 100 under suction and expelled under pressure.
  • This AWH 100 includes an airflow system having an intake 105; an air filter 110; and air passages 116, 120 upstream from an impeller or fan 125.
  • the impeller/fan 125 is responsible for drawing air into and forcing it through the apparatus 100 and into an exhaust chamber 135, from which the air exits through vents 138 (venting air is indicated by dashed- stem arrows) in the external vented wall 137 of the high-pressure exhaust chamber 135.
  • the refrigeration system in general includes an evaporator (cooling member) 140 in which liquid refrigerant is allowed to vaporize, thereby causing the evaporator 140 to become cold and cooling the air passing across it so as to condense water from the air; and a compressor 150, in which the refrigerant gas from the evaporator 140 is compressed into a liquid by the combination of higher pressure and cooling of the refrigerant by air forced through a condenser 145.
  • Ambient air 102 is drawn in through the filter assembly 110, which may include more than one filter or type of filter, into the pre-evaporator air passage 116.
  • Water is condensed from the air on the evaporator/heat exchanger 140 as the air is pulled through it. Condensation on the evaporator is the key process of atmospheric water harvesting. The condensation process is made as efficient as possible by using a high-thermal-transfer heat exchanger for the evaporator, for instance, a narrow-bore PF heat exchanger manufactured by the Modine Manufacturing Company.
  • a coating is applied to the evaporator 140. The coating also may have antibacterial properties.
  • examples of this type of coating are a silver ion-containing epoxy available from Burke Industrial Coatings and another (Alcoat 5000 or similar) available from Circle-Prosco that also offers corrosion protection and may assist shedding of water from the condensing surface of the evaporator 140.
  • a fixed or a variable speed compressor may be used.
  • a fixed speed compressor which is the simplest type and is most commonly used in refrigeration apparatus, is used.
  • Such compressors are cycled on and off to minimize their running time. They are commonly operated along with a temperature-sensing device 155 that measures and controls the system superheat, which is the difference between the temperature of the gas entering the compressor 150 and the evaporation temperature of the liquid refrigerant within the evaporator 140.
  • This device 155 e.g., a thermostatic expansion valve (TXV or TEV), amongst other types of electronic and mechanical devices
  • TXV or TEV thermostatic expansion valve
  • variable speed compressor 150 In an alternate configuration, a variable speed compressor 150 is used, which runs almost continuously but only as fast as necessary to maintain the desired pressure differential between the evaporator 140 and the condenser 145. A temperature-sensing device 155 that measures and controls the system superheat may be used with this sort of variable-speed compressor as well. In either of these configurations, a cut-off switch (not shown here), which is operated by sensors that detect freeze-up on the evaporator, turns off the compressor to allow ice to melt before restarting.
  • the evaporator 140 is in a vertical orientation, as shown in Figure 2a.
  • Water (black, single stem arrows) 158 formed on the upper evaporator surfaces flows down over the subjacent evaporator surfaces, which has the effect of amalgamating the water into rivulets as well as droplets as it flows from the evaporator 140 to the subjacent water collector 163. Because rivulets are more coherent water masses with higher mass to surface area ratios, they are less liable to lose water to the airstream moving at about a 90 degree angle across the flowing condensed water.
  • the water passing from the evaporator 140 to the water collection tank 163 may be only very slightly affected by air flow, which does not impinge toward the water collection tank 163.
  • Water that has condensed on the evaporator 140 flows downward by gravity into a water collection region tank 163 beneath the evaporator and then into a removable water collection tank (not shown) that is from five to ten gallons or greater in capacity. Multiple tanks allow users to carry water from the water harvester. Alternatively, water may be pumped from the collection tank by a pump 167, located in the body of the AWH, through an industry-standard replaceable water filter 170 that is located in a compartment 175 that is isolated from the airflow passages within the apparatus. Treated water 190 that has passed through the water treatment system 170 remains under pressure after passing through the filter and exits from ports (not shown) at either or both the top and sides of the apparatus 100. (A straight-through water filter body without a filter may be used to produce water that is to be used for industrial purposes or that is otherwise not required to be treated to drinking water standards.)
  • Air exiting from the evaporator on which water has condensed then passes into an air passage 120 under suction caused by the fan/impeller 125.
  • the air from the fan/impeller 125 then passes through a downstream air passage 130 and through the vaned condenser 145, where the air cools the compressed refrigerant that is being pumped to the condensor 145 from the compressor 150.
  • the exhaust air passes into an exhaust chamber 135 from which it is exhausted through louvers in the walls of the AWH 100, the approximate locations of which are shown by arrows.
  • the impeller or fan 125 is capable of running at variable speed, which is controlled by varying electrical current or voltage. This allows the impeller or fan to force air though the apparatus at different velocities to optimize water production on the evaporator with respect to the electrical energy consumed.
  • a variable speed impeller or fan allows the airflow over the evaporator to be varied, optimizing water production by, for instance, increasing fan speed for high humidity air or preventing or remediating unintended freeze-up where slower airflow could otherwise allow the air to reach a dew point below freezing.
  • the fan or impeller may be fixed speed, which may be less efficient under a wide range of input air temperature and humidity conditions but less expensive to implement and not significantly more expensive to operate under consistently humid conditions such as may be found on tropical, low-lying, smaller islands.
  • the compressor 150 is located within the exhaust air chamber 135.
  • a compressor is used that is designed to be cooled internally, for instance using refrigerant discharge inside the compressor, there is no need for other cooling of the compressor. With that type of compressor, it is possible to insulate it with noise- absorbing material for quieter operation.
  • the air within this chamber is slightly over- pressured with respect to ambient air outside the apparatus, which allows for distribution of air within the chamber 135 in the direction of sidewall vents. Air vents that form a large proportion of the side of the enclosure are located generally in the exterior sidewall 137 of the exhaust chamber 135 (exhaust air shown by black arrows but actual vents may be widespread in the wall) in order to allow air to vent from the apparatus.
  • Figure 3 shows airflow around the compressor 250 from the central part of the exhaust chamber 235 created by locating louvered sidewall vents 295 "downstream" from the compressor 250. This configuration forces air to pass the compressor 250 in exiting from the exhaust chamber 235.
  • an internal partition 311 isolates the compressor 350 from the exhaust chamber 335.
  • vents 313 in the outer hull of the AWH 300 allow air to be pulled in by suction into the air passage 320 upstream from the impeller 325.
  • RH relative humidity
  • condensation on the evaporator takes place by reducing the temperature of the humid air to the point where condensation initiates.
  • intake air is at a high humidity, for instance in excess of 85% RH, water will begin to condense with relatively little energy consumed by chilling.
  • the sensible heat of the humid air (which is the term applied to heat associated with temperature change) must be removed to lower the temperature of the air slightly and bring the air to 100% RH locally, at which point condensation is initiated.
  • the latent heat (which is that required to cause the water vapor to condense to liquid water) is removed by heat exchange on the evaporator. Following the initiation of condensation, both sensible heat and latent heat are removed from the air being processed in the AWH as the air temperature is further reduced slightly and water is condensed and extracted.
  • RH is low, on the other hand, it is beneficial to be able to remove sensible heat before the air reaches the evaporator so that the cooling potential of the evaporator continues to remove a minimum of sensible heat and a maximum of latent heat, which has the effect of maintaining the energy efficiency of water production. (High humidity ambient air requires very little additional cooling to initiate condensation.)
  • a variable pre-cooling embodiment 400 of an AWH which is configured to operate well under low as well as high ambient RH conditions and preferably at RH points in between, is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.
  • the embodiment 400 includes a variable flow geometry thermal economizer section 417 located upstream of the impeller 425 and its inlet air passageway 420.
  • the thermal economizer section 417 is suitably housed within a forward extension of the AWH housing and includes an air-to-air heat exchanger 456 located between the evaporator 440 (i.e., downstream from the evaporator) and the impeller 425 (i.e., upstream of the impeller).
  • the heat exchanger 456 is directly connected to the evaporator 440 and the impeller entry air passageway 420, or is connected via ducting to those components, such that air does not seep out from between the evaporator and the heat exchanger or from between the heat exchanger and the impeller.
  • a preferred air-to-air heat exchanger 456 is fabricated from thin-walled tubes (e.g., as available from Cesarroni
  • such air-to-air heat exchangers include two sets (at least) of interleaved flow passageways that are typically arranged perpendicularly to each other.
  • the heat exchanger 456 is arranged with 1) a first set of heat transfer flow passageways (not illustrated specifically) oriented longitudinally, i.e., generally aligned with the main or overall direction of flow through the AWH 400; and 2) a second set of heat transfer flow passageways (not illustrated specifically) that are oriented transverse to the first set of heat transfer flow passageways, i.e., laterally as in the
  • the air intake of the AWH 400 i.e., the entrance to the thermal economizer section 417
  • the air intake of the AWH 400 is configured to regulate the amount (if any) of air that flows through the second, transverse set of heat exchanger flow passageways.
  • a motorized sliding panel 446 mounted in a support or frame 433, is provided near the entrance to the thermal economizer section 417, and an airway partition 438 extends from a lateral mid-location - suitably but not necessarily the center - of the panel support or frame 433 to an end of the evaporator 440.
  • the panel 446 extends vertically from the top to the bottom of the thermal economizer section entrance; laterally, assuming the airway partition 438 abuts the frame 433 at the lateral center of the AWH 400, the panel 446 is slightly wider than half the width of the thermal economizer section entrance.
  • the air then turns and flows through the evaporator 440, which cools/chills the air to condense moisture out of it, before the air flows through the longitudinal set of air passageways through the heat exchanger 456 and on to the impeller. Because the air flowing through the longitudinal set of heat exchanger air passageways has been cooled by the evaporator 440, it will absorb sensible heat from the air flowing through the transverse set of heat exchanger air passageways, thus pre-cooling the incoming air before it reaches the evaporator 440. This allows a greater percentage of the evaporator work to be directed to removing latent heat from the incoming air and thus improves water production efficiency.
  • the panel 446 may be moved, for example, all the way across the entrance to the thermal economizer section 417 to the opposite side of the airway partition 433, which opens up a second inlet aperture 403 (i.e., a bypass inlet) as shown in Figure 6.
  • a second inlet aperture 403 i.e., a bypass inlet
  • the panel 446 may be positioned at one or more points between the two endpoints shown in Figures 5 and 6, which provides for at least one, and suitably a plurality, of intermediate pre-cooling operational configurations between the maximum pre-cooling operational configuration and the minimum pre-cooling operational configuration.
  • the relative sizes of the first and second inlet apertures 402, 403 will vary, which regulates the amount of air flowing through the transverse set of heat exchanger airflow passageways and hence how much pre-cooling of the incoming air is provided.
  • the position of the panel 446, and hence the relative sizes of the inlet apertures 402, 403, is controlled automatically by a computer controller (not shown), which receives information on ambient conditions from on-board temperature and humidity sensors (not shown).
  • the controller adjusts the position of the panel 446 such that the intake air is cooled to the point that 90% to 99% RH air is passing across the evaporator and/or until, at some point, the pre-cooling potential is at a maximum. From that point to lower temperatures and RH, an increasing amount of sensible heat has to be removed from the incoming air by the evaporator 440, which means that increasing electricity must be used to produce relatively smaller amounts of water.
  • the speed of the fan/impeller 425 may also be adjusted automatically (assuming it has variable speed capability).
  • the AWH 400 may be configured with springs, cams, detents, etc. (not shown) such that the panel 446 stably assumes only the position corresponding to the maximum pre- cooling operational configuration (e.g., the position shown in Figure 5) or the position corresponding to the minimum pre-cooling operational configuration (e.g., the position shown in Figure 6), but not positions in between, thus giving the AWH 400 just two operational configurations in practice. The user would then manually move the panel to one side or the other depending on humidity existing generally at the time the AWH is being operated.
  • the maximum pre- cooling operational configuration e.g., the position shown in Figure 5
  • the minimum pre-cooling operational configuration e.g., the position shown in Figure 6
  • the sizes of the two air intake apertures 402 and 403 are directly linked to each other and always vary inversely to each other as the position of the panel 446 changes.
  • the sizes of the air intake apertures may be independently controllable (preferably by computer).
  • the air intake apertures may be formed by flow-restricting devices such as separate, louvered openings 402', 403', as illustrated in Figure 7, sphincter openings, etc.
  • variable speed fan/impeller is particularly suitable for use with such an embodiment to fine-tune operation of the AWH as much as possible.
  • one or more intermediate pre-cooling configurations of the AWH can be obtained via intermediate sizes for either or both of the air intake apertures.
  • configurations of the AWH would correspond to the different speeds of the fans, with maximum speed of one fan and minimum speed of the other fan defining one operational configuration limit value for the overall AWH (i.e., a maximum pre-cooling configuration); minimum speed of the one fan and maximum speed of the other fan defining another operational configuration limit value (i.e., a minimum pre-cooling configuration); and intermediate fan speed settings for either or both of the fans defining a theoretically infinite number of potential intermediate pre-cooling operational configurations of the AWH.
  • Such variable speed fans or impellers could be provided in addition to the variable speed fan or impeller 425 or, alternatively, instead of the fan or impeller 425.
  • the various operational configurations of the apparatus are determined by the relative configurations of the airflow passageways in the device, as defined by the position of the panel 446 and/or by the size of the inlet openings.
  • the size of the inlet openings is defined by the position of the panel 446 as shown in Figures 5 and 6; in the other referenced AWH configurations (e.g., inlets having louvers or other types of flow restrictors), on the other hand, the size of the inlet openings is independent.
  • the different operational configurations of the AWH may be defined by different operating speeds of inlet fans.
  • the operational configuration of the AWH is defined by attributes of the AWH that affect the relative amounts of air flowing through the two sets of passageways in the air-to-air heat exchanger, and hence the amount of pre-cooling that is achieved.
  • Heat pipes are fairly simple and efficient devices that can be used to transfer heat from one region to another.
  • a heat pipe consists of a sealed, partially evacuated tube made from heat-conducting material (e.g., metal) that has a small amount of a working refrigerant fluid contained inside of it.
  • the particular working fluid is selected depending on the temperatures of the environment in which the heat pipe will be used.
  • One end of the tube is disposed in the region where cooling is required (i.e., where heat needs to be removed), and the other end of the tube is disposed in the region where heat is to be discharged. In the region to be cooled, the working fluid will be in liquid form.
  • the working fluid absorbs heat from the region to be cooled, it boils or vaporizes, and a vapor pressure differential causes the vaporized fluid to move toward the opposite end of the heat pipe.
  • heat is discharged from the working fluid, e.g., by dumping the heat into a heat sink, blowing cooling air across the end of the heat pipe, etc., which causes the working fluid to condense back into liquid form.
  • the heat pipe is empty except for the working fluid; in that case, the condensed working fluid may flow back to the heat-absorbing region due to gravity.
  • the heat pipe includes wicking material of some sort, and the condensed working fluid flows back to the heat-absorbing region due to capillary action.
  • a fixed-configuration airflow passageway 520 extends through the AWH from inlet 502 to outlet 504.
  • the airflow passageway 520 is configured such that at least a segment of a downstream portion of the airflow passageway 520 is in proximity to at least a segment of an upstream portion of the airflow passageway.
  • the airflow passageway 520 may have a U-shape, in which case approximately half of the airflow passageway 520 (i.e., the portion to the left of the dividing wall 521 as shown in the figures) lies in proximity to the other approximate half of the airflow passageway 520 (i.e., the portion to the right of the diving wall 521 as shown in the figures).
  • Evaporator (cooling member) 540 is located within the airflow passageway 520 and suitably extends all the way across it, as illustrated, so that all air flowing through the airflow passageway 520 must flow across/through it.
  • One or more fans/impellers may be located at any suitable location to propel air through the airflow passageway 520.
  • fans 572, 573 may be provided at the inlet 502 and the outlet 504, respectively.
  • the fan(s) may be single speed or variable speed depending on the desired sophistication of the system.
  • the AWH embodiment 500 illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 uses heat pipes as the heat exchanger.
  • the heat exchanger 556 consists of an array of parallel, generally straight-tube configuration heat pipes.
  • the heat exchanger 556 is repositionably mounted (e.g., by means of a pivot 557) so that it can be moved between a first position as shown in Figure 9 and a second position as shown in Figure 10, which two positions of the heat exchanger 556 define two operational
  • the first heat exchanger position ( Figure 9) is used when maximum pre-cooling of the incoming air is desired or required;
  • the second heat exchanger position ( Figure 10), on the other hand, is used when minimum (e.g., no) pre- cooling of the incoming air is required or desired.
  • one portion of it 559 i.e., the portion having the heat- absorbing portions of the constituent heat pipes
  • another portion 561 of the heat exchanger 556 i.e., the portion having the heat-discharging portions of the constituent heat pipes
  • the heat exchanger 556 is moved (e.g., pivoted) from the first position shown in Figure 9 to the second position shown in Figure 10 such that the AWH 500 is converted to its second, minimum pre-cooling operational configuration. (This may be accomplished either manually or automatically under computer control.) When it is in the second position, the heat exchanger 556 will reside essentially within either the downstream portion of the airflow passageway 520 relative to the evaporator 540 (as shown in Figure 10) or the upstream portion of the airflow passageway 520 relative to the evaporator 540 (not shown).
  • the heat exchanger 556 will not extend between upstream and downstream portions of the airflow passageway; no heat transfer will take place from the former to the latter via the heat exchanger 556; and no pre-cooling will occur.
  • FIG. 11 Another reconfigurable, generally similar embodiment 600 of an AWH is illustrated in Figures 11 and 12.
  • the fixed-configuration airflow passageway 620 is suitably straight and extends from inlet 602 at one end to outlet 604 at the opposite end.
  • Evaporator (cooling member) 640 is located within the airflow passageway 620 and suitably extends all the way across it, as illustrated, so that all air flowing through the airflow passageway 620 must flow across/through it.
  • One or more fans/impellers may be located at any suitable location to propel air through the airflow passageway 620.
  • fans 672, 673 may be provided near the inlet 602 and the outlet 604, respectively.
  • the fan(s) may be single speed or variable speed depending on the desired sophistication of the system.
  • the heat exchanger 556 is straight and the airflow passageway 520 is curved (e.g., U-shaped) so that when the heat exchanger 556 is in the first position it can extend between upstream and downstream portions of the airflow passageway 520 relative to the evaporator 540.
  • the airflow passageway 620 is essentially straight and the heat exchanger 656 is curved (e.g., U-shaped or C-shaped) so that part of it can be disposed upstream of the evaporator 640 and part of it can be disposed downstream of the evaporator 640
  • the heat exchanger 656 - again exemplarily constructed using heat pipes - has a heat-absorbing portion 659 and a heat discharge portion 661 that are connected by means of bridge portion 663.
  • the first heat exchanger position (Figure 11) is used when pre-cooling of the incoming air is desired or required; the second heat exchanger position ( Figure 12), on the other hand, is used when less (e.g., no) pre-cooling of the incoming air is required or desired.
  • one portion of it 659 i.e., the portion having the heat-absorbing portions of the constituent heat pipes
  • another portion 661 of the heat exchanger 656 extends into, and suitably all the way across, the portion of the airflow passageway 620 that is located downstream of the evaporator 640.
  • the heat exchanger 656 is moved translationally (e.g., slid) from the first position shown in Figure 11 to the second position shown in Figure 12 such that the AWH 600 is converted to its second, minimum pre-cooling operational configuration. (This may be accomplished either manually or automatically under computer control.)
  • the heat exchanger 656 When it is in the second position, either or both (as illustrated) of the heat-absorbing and the heat-discharging portions of the heat exchanger 656 will reside entirely outside of the airflow passageway 620 and will offer no impediment to smooth airflow. Accordingly, the heat exchanger 656 will not extend between upstream and downstream portions of the airflow passageway; no heat transfer will take place from the former to the latter via the heat exchanger 656; and no pre- cooling will occur.
  • a manual switch may be provided on the control panel (not shown) to initiate a timed cycle in which the air system operates but the condenser system is turned off. This allows air to be passed through the unit without water being condensed from the air. This provides for drying of the internal air courses and their surfaces (including the evaporator and condenser).
  • dilute chlorine spray from a hand- pump rechargeable container is sprayed into the intake air stream in sufficient quantities so that all internal air passages, including the main condenser and water collection area, are sufficiently exposed to allow for effective sterilization of the system.
  • the unit continues to run, which has the effect of drying the internal surfaces and leaving the unit dry.
  • packing in an air-tight container may not be necessary. Where the unit may be off for more than a short time, it should be packed in a sealed manner.
  • the apparatus may be wheeled and has handles suitable for pulling or lifting, even on ground that is not flat or smooth, or it may be operated essentially fixed in place (as on a pedistal or platform, with no provision for hand moving. It is designed and fabricated to be robust and to be operated out of doors without regard for weather conditions. All embodiments of the water harvester are weather-proofed, with sealed electronics, louvered intakes, screening as part of the filter assembly 110 (all embodiments) and on intakes and exhausts.
  • the apparatus is suitable for placement by hand, without mechanized lifting or towing equipment. It can be left in one location over a period of time and can be manually brought under cover for protection in advance of major storms and redeployed manually.
  • any of the embodiments of an AWH illustrated herein and described above may be configured with a so-called "split condenser" refrigeration system.
  • Such refrigeration systems are generally known and include multiple condensers (e.g., two), with additional, separate forced-air system(s) being provided to remove heat from the additional condenser(s) beyond the "primary" condenser. This supplements the cooling of the condenser by removing additional heat from the refrigerant stream and enhances total system heat rejection.
  • the bias in the system toward greater heat rejection also helps to ensure that liquid refrigerant within the refrigeration system does not spontaneously begin to vaporize in an unintended manner.
  • Figure 13 illustrates a split condenser refrigeration system that could be implemented in any of the AWH embodiments described above, with the condensers X45a and X45b arranged in parallel.
  • X is used as the first character of the reference numerals to indicate that the components could be as used in any of the AWH embodiments.
  • the refrigeration system includes the "primary" condensing unit X45a that operates directly with the water condensation system XI 5 (consisting of an evaporator and possibly other heat exchangers) and a compressor X50 (which may be implemented as more than one compressor operating in tandem).
  • An impeller or fan X25 drives air through the primary system.
  • Figure 14 illustrates a split condenser refrigeration system that could be implemented in any of the AWH embodiments described above, with the condensers X45a and X45b arranged in series.
  • the primary condenser X45a, the water condensation system XI 5, the fan or impeller X25, and the airflow for the primary system are the same as in Figure 13.
  • the overall recirculation refrigeration system consists of just a single loop that runs from the compressor X50 through first one condenser X45b and then the other condenser X45a.
  • Figure 14 shows the compressed refrigerant being passed first through the additional heat-rejecting condenser X45b and then through the primary condenser X45a.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
  • Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention porte sur un collecteur d'eau atmosphérique qui comprend un élément de refroidissement sur lequel l'air humide passe pour condenser l'humidité contenue dans l'atmosphère. L'élément de refroidissement peut être l'évaporateur d'un circuit de réfrigération classique à base de gaz et vapeur. Si un circuit de réfrigération à base de gaz et vapeur est utilisé, le compresseur du circuit peut être à vitesse variable. Un ventilateur ou une turbine utilisé pour faire circuler l'air dans le système peut aussi être à vitesse variable. Des modes de réalisation préférés peuvent être reconfigurés entre au moins deux configurations fonctionnelles de façon à modifier les degrés auxquels l'air entrant peut être prérefroidi avant de passer sur l'élément de refroidissement, par échange de chaleur avec l'air plus froid qui a déjà passé sur l'élément de refroidissement.
PCT/US2009/055737 2009-09-02 2009-09-02 Collecteurs d'eau atmosphérique avec pré-refroidissement variable WO2011028199A1 (fr)

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PCT/US2009/055737 WO2011028199A1 (fr) 2009-09-02 2009-09-02 Collecteurs d'eau atmosphérique avec pré-refroidissement variable

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PCT/US2009/055737 WO2011028199A1 (fr) 2009-09-02 2009-09-02 Collecteurs d'eau atmosphérique avec pré-refroidissement variable

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2016185240A1 (fr) * 2015-05-15 2016-11-24 Seas Société De L'eau Aerienne Suisse Sa Procédé et système permettant de commander une installation permettant de produire de l'eau de l'air atmosphérique
WO2019115870A1 (fr) * 2017-12-11 2019-06-20 Sten Hans Générateur d'eau atmosphérique et procédé associé

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3259181A (en) * 1961-11-08 1966-07-05 Carrier Corp Heat exchange system having interme-diate fluent material receiving and discharging heat
US4197713A (en) * 1977-01-24 1980-04-15 M.A.N. Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nuernberg Aktiengesellschaft Process and plant for the recovery of water from humid air
US5259203A (en) * 1992-05-14 1993-11-09 Engel Daniel R Apparatus and method for extracting potable water from atmosphere
US6490879B1 (en) * 2000-09-27 2002-12-10 Assist International Marketing, Inc. Water generating machine
US20040244398A1 (en) * 2000-05-01 2004-12-09 Radermacher Reinhard K. Device for collecting water from air

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3259181A (en) * 1961-11-08 1966-07-05 Carrier Corp Heat exchange system having interme-diate fluent material receiving and discharging heat
US4197713A (en) * 1977-01-24 1980-04-15 M.A.N. Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nuernberg Aktiengesellschaft Process and plant for the recovery of water from humid air
US5259203A (en) * 1992-05-14 1993-11-09 Engel Daniel R Apparatus and method for extracting potable water from atmosphere
US20040244398A1 (en) * 2000-05-01 2004-12-09 Radermacher Reinhard K. Device for collecting water from air
US6490879B1 (en) * 2000-09-27 2002-12-10 Assist International Marketing, Inc. Water generating machine

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2016185240A1 (fr) * 2015-05-15 2016-11-24 Seas Société De L'eau Aerienne Suisse Sa Procédé et système permettant de commander une installation permettant de produire de l'eau de l'air atmosphérique
WO2019115870A1 (fr) * 2017-12-11 2019-06-20 Sten Hans Générateur d'eau atmosphérique et procédé associé

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